To the Edge of Light's Reach
by TheModernBard
Summary: Luxanna Crownguard did indeed pass the Judgment of the League, though only barely, but what are her true motives for joining the League of Legends? There is more to her than just her disarming smile.. Rated M for very coarse language, descriptive and detailed violence, and adult themes. Katarina lore/abilities prior to rework. Lux not ditzy /obnoxiously cheerful.
1. The Welcoming Party

Hello, and welcome to my first story on this site and longest story I have ever written! I appreciate that you've taken the time to read my words, and I do hope I can entertain you, even if only for a little while. I love comments, questions, and ideas, so feel free to either PM me or leave them in a review (or find my discussion thread on the LoL forums. I love talking to my readers ^_^). The story starts a little slow, I am aware, but I think others can vouch for me that the pace will pick up. May you have as much fun reading through this journey as I have had through writing it!  
~TheModernBard

* * *

Her body slowly sunk into the supporting back of the chair as fatigue nestled in her bones. Most of her hair was trapped behind her small shoulders, and the skirt of her armor twisted uncomfortably beneath her legs. The thought of moving, though, was too monumental to consider fixing either. She even still clutched her worn-out traveler's bag in her hand.

Rays of light streamed through the window from the sun just passing its zenith. The glass was a piece of unique craftsmanship and worked like a prism, scattering rainbows across the polished floorboards, the plush rug beneath her toes, and on a golden lock that refused to stay tucked behind her ear. The designer had decided that the decor should revolve around the special glass and made everything white, allowing crystal clear sight of each radiant part of the rainbow. Each passing moment changed the way the colors danced about the room as the sun made its descent.

With time, her bag slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the floor beneath. So tired, she felt, that retrieving it felt a daunting task. Exhaustion weighed down her every muscle. If she could only stay like that, curled up in the comforting velvet arms as warm colors tickled her face, she would hide there until the end of her days. The soft scraping sounds of boot heels coming and going just beyond her door reminded her, however, that time would not stop just for her. Lux held her breath for a moment, stalling, before releasing a tiny sigh.

"Things won't change if you stay here," she whispered. "Everything seems worse in your head. You can do this," she continued to reason, and a beautiful smile returned to her lips. "Maybe this could be fun."

A sudden thud against her door stole the tranquility of the moment, and the young woman leaped from the chair with fright. Before she could chide herself for being so startled, the sudden motion combined with her weariness caused her head to spin. "Watch where the fuck you're going next time!" a harsh feminine voice hissed from the other side.

"Me? Why not watch where the fuck YOU'RE going, bitch, or my laser will give us an anatomy lesson about your entrails!" replied an equally furious young man, eagerly hoping to match his opponent. Lux had finally caught a hold of herself by this point and pieced together the scene beyond her door. She tried to imagine which of the many faces she had memorized during her stay at the Academy would possibly match with either of the voices.

_Thwack!_ The majority of a steel-tipped weapon lodged itself in the door. "You won't have time to change any of those pretty settings," the female countered.

"You... you... crazy bitch!" he stuttered. "You could have killed me! The League w-"

"Will do nothing," the icy voice interrupted, "because they know that if I wanted you dead, we'd already be at the funeral." The woman's tone sent shivers down Lux's spine. It was no ordinary threat but instead death's promise. _Could it be...?_ "Come find me when your balls finally drop so we can have a real match," she taunted, and nearby viewers laughed.

"Save it for the Fields of Justice," intervened a third voice, deep and resonating, from down the hall.

"Oh goodie. He's back," the female growled, and the weapon was removed, giving the door a new peephole. "We'll settle this soon, little boy, but if you cry out for mommy, know there won't be a tit to suck on materializing in front of you."

Light footsteps wandered away while purposeful ones strode closer. "How many times have we asked you to not seek out fights with her outside the Fields, Ezreal?" At the mention of his name, Lux immediately recalled his profile as Piltover's finest explorer. His uncharacteristic belligerence now surprised her as she recalled more information, but she had to consider the other in the dialogue. Perhaps she was as bad as they said she was, she mused.

"How many reports does it take to get her out of here?" he countered. "She's the absolute worst!"

"Clearly not enough with either case. Get moving before there is an official report of your hand in the encounter." The young man, Ezreal, shuffled away and muttered under his breath things Lux could not catch but was no fool to not have guessed. The door then opened, without knock, and in entered a man befitting of his commanding voice. Finding one to match his height was quite rare, but to also match his muscular physique was unheard of. His bulky armor added layers to his broad chest, causing him to seem far larger and more intimidating. This did not mean he was undeserving of the illusion, though. He was a seasoned warrior and carried himself tall on and off the battlefield, and had been named Captain of Demacia's Vanguard recently. Even she found herself shrinking from his presence.

"Not even a little knock? How rude," she dared to joke to ease her discomfort.

"I see you finally collected yourself from the floor and relocated here," he returned harshly.

"...that was a bit far, doncha think?"

He closed his eyes and sighed, taking a moment to recollect himself. "Perhaps," he acquiesced. He took a seat in the velvet white armchair she had been resting in just moments before. He knew that towering over people did not make for easy conversations. "You have been accepted into the League of Legends. I offer my congratulations."

"I offer my appreciation of your acceptance," came her stiff reply.

"Please. Do not make this any harder than this has to be."

"Harder than what? Than what has already happened?" she asked. It sounded innocent enough, but Lux was concerned about a specific matter. _Did something go wrong?_

"No. Harder than what is already expected to come. While your Judgment took time to have a proper ruling, that was meager test of what will be asked of you. As a member of the Crownguard family, you will be expected to serve as an icon for Demacia that all can look to for guidance and strength. You will be under the vigilant eye of the public. You will not disgrace the crest that you wear with your actions. Is this understood?" Her head reeled with the implications of the information but easily hid her pleasure from her brother. Instead, she had to continue her role.

"Can't you say something sweet like you're proud of me or happy to see me, Garen?" she asked, and it was truthful enough. She had missed him in the long years they had been apart, and a small part of her thought that perhaps they could grow close again, as they had as children.

The man sighed, and she noticed the deep lines of exhaustion etched in his face. "Of course I am proud of you and all you have accomplished. Not just because of what you brought to the family name, but as a brother happily watching over you as you make a name for your own. And of course I am overjoyed to see you standing here with me, but I cannot show that. We have a name to uphold, and we cannot allow others to create rumors of favoritism. If you somehow got out of trouble, what would that suggest? That we are just as corrupt as the rest of them, and how would that reflect Demacia? If you do not get in trouble, then I do not have to make a call about what to do with you. Two minions with one dagger. Surely a tactical mind like yours can understand, right?"

"I just don't understand why you think I'm going to screw up. If you keep telling me I'm going to, then I'm probably going to. I thought I was doing well."

"And you are. Relatively speaking, of course. This is just... a pre-emptive measure. A gentle reminder that, even though you are miles from your home, you are still bound there. Just as I am. I cannot be the warm and gentle brother we both wish I could be to you. My duty is to push you to always strive for excellence, even if we do not enjoy the methods." He rose to his feet and made his way towards the door. "I will see to it that the hole is repaired swiftly. I will have to file a report on the incident after all due to the property damage. Someone will get to it soon."

"I offer m- Thank you, Garen."

"I am sorry, my dearest Lux." He closed the door behind him.

"Not as much as I am," she whispered to the empty armchair, but then she shook the feeling away. Despite Garen's other words, he had brought her the most crucial bit of information she had sought for many long hours. She had succeeded! She, Luxanna Crownguard, had been accepted by the League of Legends. While she was not entirely thrilled about becoming a champion, she had passed the summoner's in-depth test without raising alarm. Not only that, but they now welcomed her within their halls. With confirmation that escape would no longer be necessary, the little remaining adrenaline quieted in her veins, and an overwhelming sense of weariness completed its control over her body. Before she could act on it, though, she grabbed her bag from the floor and emptied the contents into the bottom drawer of her nightstand. She would organize her possessions later and place the more valuable things in the top drawer for easier access. Ordinarily she would have scouted the grounds of her new home, but her body demanded a thorough investigation of the hills and valleys of her bed. After changing into more comfortable clothes, she began her inspection the best way she could: closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of the soft sheets.

Without surprise, Lux drifted off for much needed rest. Her muscles relaxed for the first time in many days as she had accomplished an important step by successfully joining. Her mind, however, continued to buzz furiously, and she ran through memories of the last few hours until she found herself standing before the plaque again. "The truest opponent lies within," it read, and Lux continued forward through the doors. The darkness enveloped her, but she felt no fear. As a master of light, she had to understand the dark just as well. She refrained from using any spells to light her way, for she knew the summoners wished to remain mysterious. Suddenly, a faint light appeared, revealing her brother standing mere paces away. Joy flushed her face at seeing him again after so long, and she nearly raced those last steps to embrace him before she remembered her place.

"Why do you want to join the League?" he asked expectedly, but Lux tried her best to not let anyone know.

"To fight for justice in the name of Demacia," she answered calmly, flashing a brilliant smile at him.

Garen's stony face remained composed. "What is the real reason, Luxanna?" he pressed. Her smile shrunk by a few molars, then completely. He would exchange pleasantries with her later, she hoped.

Reciting the Measured Tread, a book she had memorized since childhood, she replied, "Victory for our allies, defeat for our enemies, and justice for all." She nodded satisfactorily upon completion, and quickly glanced at her brother's expression. Rather than enacting the upward turn of his mouth, Garen frowned. Lux opened her mouth to continue her statement, but intense light surged through the room. More memories flooded her mind as the summoner searched for the specific moment they needed. Anticipating this very move, she guided them to the best one she had to offer while shielding one that did not serve a purpose to the search. They saw flashes of her selection and latched on, thinking themselves brilliant, and played it for all to see.

A young Lux sprinted as quickly as her legs could carry her back home. While waiting for her class to begin, she had accidentally turned invisible again. She still had no control over when it would happen, but she was eager to show her parents her ever-growing abilities. Far too long had they dismissed her efforts and only looked to Garen and his military achievements. For once, she, too, wanted to prove she was worthy of the Crownguard name. She snuck through the front door, as quiet as a mouse, and hoped to surprise her parents, but the surprise fell on her. As she entered the living room, she overheard the conversation that forever changed her life. "She will serve you well, just as Garen has before her," her mother said, nodding her consent.

"Your daughter is at the age where she needs her parents most!" a soldier tried to reason, but another man interrupted them with a voice full of authority.

"It is all in the King's name. You will provide all the parenting she will need." Without any means to argue, the men glanced at one another uncomfortably before agreeing with the decision. The image was replaced with thousands of other fleeting snapshots that Lux had prepared, most particularly the grudge she had forever carried against her family. The summoners devoured the juicy details with glee, probing deeper in her mind, and with each replay, Lux forcibly changed her visage to grow more and more distraught. When the summoners had finally backed off, taking far more information than perhaps had been necessary, Garen approached from the shadows again, and she was confused that she had not noticed his absence.

"Will you admit the real reason why you want to join the League now?" he asked once more.

"Because I have nothing else," she answered sorrowfully, and she fell to her knees. She bit her tongue viciously, and her eyes stung with tears. She focused on the pain, and the tears streamed down her face, completing the look. The summoners quietly whispered back and forth, her name mentioned more than once, but she pretended not to notice. Garen walked away from her broken form, not even bothering to see if she would be okay.


	2. Just Rewards

_Because I have nothing else…_

Lux awoke to her body trembling in a sheen of cold sweat. Her eyes darted around her and revealed she was only in her bedchambers. No guards ushering her out of her home, no summoners probing too far, no Garen frowning at her... "It was just a dream," she whispered. "It's over now." It was just before dawn, but she knew she would not sleep any further.

Today was her first day on the Fields of Justice.

* * *

"Good morning! You must be the new champion, Luxanna Crownguard," said a robed man from across the hall.

"Lux would be much preferable," she replied with a disarming smile.

The man caught up and walked in stride beside her. "Well met, Lux. I am Havien, a summoner. I have been instructed to help you on your first day. Have you been acquainted with how things run here at the Institute of War?"

"What exactly is a summoner?" Lux asked as she bit her lower lip lightly. At first, it had nearly pained her to play a less intelligent version of herself, but she had long ago discovered its many uses, primarily with acquiring sensitive information. Men were also the best targets as they had a tendency to be... swayed. She flashed an apologetic look with her blue eyes before looking pitifully at the tiled floor.

"I will take that as a no. I should bring you up to speed about a few things before you walk on the Field. Wouldn't want you to have the highest death count of your team," he said sarcastically, and Lux knew to let the jab go. Instead, her eyes grew to the size of a tea cup saucer.

"I can die more than once...?" she asked, mixing the perfect amounts amazement and terror in her tone.

"Looks like I have more to tell you about than I thought," he sighed. "But first things first." Havien cleared his through lightly. "I am a summoner. A summoner is a champion's partner. We lend you aid in the form of a few simple spells that heal, make you faster, let you have a mental image of a location across the field -I believe you get the point-; we give you tactical advice since we can see the arena in its entirety; we can assess your enemy and tell you potential weak points for the specific battle. If you would take lethal damage, you don't really die. Instead, your summoner chants a spell to revive you back at the beginning platform. The stronger you are in the game, the longer it takes to bring you and your power back to the battlefield. Oh, and we communicate to you telepathically. We're pretty handy," he concluded with a smug grin. It became apparent to Lux how underappreciated Havien felt and how large his ego was. Though he hid it well, he found that giving her a tutorial was beneath him, even with her family name. Exploitation will come easily with this man, she assessed.

"That... is quite an feat. That must take powerful magic to not only establish and hold that kind of connection, but multitask as well!" she exclaimed in awe, setting the kindling beneath the ego.

"I'm glad one of you appreciates what we do. So many champions these days... Anyway, I'll assume you know nothing about how the battle is conducted." Lux shook her head slowly but batted her eyes sweetly at the man. "When you are summoned to the platform, you will purchase an item to give you power. As you kill things, you take their money. It is automatically transferred to your account, so no need to loot the bodies. You are unable to receive items from champions you slay, but you get a hefty bounty."

"Oh goodness, there is just so much to learn! I appreciate you taking the time to help me out, Havien," Lux said, and her lips formed an innocent smile. She gently brushed her elbow across his arm. While a lower intelligence can enable one to get to various places, light touches can get one there faster.

"It is my duty, Lux. Oh, before I forget, there are turrets. Each team has them. You want to get rid of your opponents so they have less protection. Turrets fire beams of energy that really hurt. Try not to draw one's attention. After your team eliminates enough of them, their Nexus will be exposed. Destroy it to win."

"At least there is an objective to this chaos. There is just so much information to take in, and you can recite it by heart like an expert. You must be accomplished in your field as a summoner." She metaphorically lit the match and held it under the kindling.

"Well, I suppose you could say that. They did send me, after all, to assist you on your first day."

"And who else other than a chosen few are entrusted with such an honor like this? You enable the success of the new champions and thus their reception to the rest of the summoners."

"Well, High Chancellor Brogan used to introduce the new champions, now that you mention it..." his voice trailed off as he thought of the possibilities. She almost chuckled how easy Havien was proving to be, but naturally did not let that show through her cheerful exterior.

"I am sure you will get your just rewards one day soon. Your studies as a summoner must have been a breeze. Your abilities are amazing. It would be impossible not to get where you want," she purred.

"My trials as a summoner were rather difficult, but it must have been because they wanted to push me to my true potential. Maybe it would be good to talk to someone as eager and intelligent like you." The kindling caught fire, setting his ego ablaze. He was already seeking opportunities to see her again, saving her some trouble of suggesting it herself. He was a wellspring of information, and he was hers._ Objective complete_.

"I will not flatter myself and say I grasp anything about such high-ranked arcane magic, Havien, but I would be more than happy to lend you my ear." A sudden chill danced down her spine interrupted her from continuing to her next mission, and her skin erupted into goose bumps. "Did it suddenly get cold in here?"

"Ah, your first summoner's call already."

_Good morning, Luxanna Crownguard. My name is Jordaine, and I have earned enough influence to make a personal request for you to be my champion for this fight. It would be my pleasure and honor to be your partner._

"Best of luck with your first match. Maybe we can talk more when you have recovered from the battle." With that, Havien walked away with a slight spring in his step. Lux sighed faintly before she focused on things on a broader scale. She had already secured her source of information. Connections tend to be stronger if pursued over a long course of time. _Perhaps this call inadvertently saved me,_ she mused to herself. She slipped into her new role and smiled brightly, even though the summoner could not see her.

_I never had the pleasure of a mental connection like this with someone. I would love to see what the Fields of Justice look like, Jordaine! Thank you!_

_Perfect. I will begin the summoning. The battlefield you will see this match is the Twisted Treeline, a rather small arena. I thought it best to start you off here._

A pale, blue glow radiated from her right index finger. Slowly, the light grew until it enveloped her entire hand. _Jordaine? Is this blue light-_

_This is supposed to happen, Miss Crownguard. It means my spell is working as it should. It takes a bit longer with new champions, though, but we will begin shortly._

Lux relaxed her muscles as she watched the light wrap around her body gently and shine like the surface of a polished gem. She wondered if she could alter it to shimmer every color at once, for that would be far more beautiful, but she soon realized her magic might interfere with the summoner's. She gulped back the fear of what that would result. She had too much to do to tempt fate that way.

The light then tightened itself, and she felt her insides convulse. Lux tried to call out for help, but the hallway began to fade away like paint dripping down a canvas. The air was punched from her lungs, and the bile in her stomach rose through her throat like a fireball, singeing the back of her tongue. Everything in her vision was replaced by the pale summoning light. Tears streamed down her face as she failed to breathe. She felt her very essence being pulled out from her while everything else threatened to collapse inward. In a final, lurching motion, her knees gave out, and she fell on grey cobblestone. Upon impact, the building bile found an exit.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" growled a harsh voice from above.

_My dearest apologies. I should have warned you that a champion's first time with the summoning spell could sometime lead to this... _Jordaine muttered through their mental link. Lux assured him it was alright

"You don't have to be so mean!" shouted a young voice somewhere behind Lux. "Besides, it sucks for everyone their first time. I'm sure you weren't that graceful either." Footsteps made their way to her side. "Are you going to be okay?" She tilted her head up to see through her golden curtain that a small body wrapped in green linen strips was holding out a hand. Her immediate reaction was to secure a doctor, for no amount of first aid could fix wounds that wide-spread, especially head injuries. Upon a secondary scan, Lux noticed how frayed and dirtied the bandages were. They had been in use for a very long time without a change to fresh ones. This creature with gentle eyes was actually a mummy and a champion of the League. She recalled reading about the mummy, Amumu, in her studies at the academy.

"I...think so. That was horrible," Lux finally replied. She accepted the hand and was pulled to her feet.

"What's horrible is what I'll do to you when I get my hands on you. This is so damn disgusting." Lux whirled around to meet a leather-clad assassin. Straps around both thighs and her belt held five throwing knives each, though Lux was sure there were more concealed on her body. Her hip-length, carmine locks were smooth and soft, despite her battles. Those encounters left their mark, however, as seen from the deep, angry scar crossing her eyebrow down to her high cheekbone. It finally became clear why her brother was so entranced with her. "Oh, it's the new Demacian bitch. I should have guessed you'd do this." The familiar tone coupled with the weapons carried revealed to Lux the culprit behind the morning's incident. Fate had delivered her multiple reasons to interact with her now.

"It is always a pleasure to meet Noxians like yourself, Katarina, and most especially when my door is your target for accuracy practice drills," Lux said overly politely with the tiniest overtone of sarcasm. Given the woman's expression, it did not go amiss.

"Awh, was that your door this morning? That little hole doesn't compare to your unloading your stomach at my feet. Don't they teach you manners where you come from, nameless Demacian scum?" Katarina scowled.

Lux gave an over-exaggerated bow. "My humblest apologies, Sinister Blade," she began, drawing a glare from her teammate. "I am called Lux, the Lady of Luminosity. In my fair city of Demacia, the loss of stomach contents is not viewed as an insult to all onlookers, but rather seen as a warning to not eat where they last went. A public service announcement, if you will. Today's egg omelet with cheese selection from the mess hall was not cooked all the way, so it is in your interest to pick another item from the menu, my friend, lest the same fate befalls you and someone else's boots."

"I think I hate you already, Lux," spat the assassin.

This time, Lux bowed again but kept her head low. "Jokes aside, I deeply apologize for your shoes. I am keenly aware that it is less about the condition of your shoes- though the condition is important- but rather the fact that a Demacian did this to them. Please allow me the opportunity to make this up to you. Here at the League, we should strive to strengthen our city-states' relationships." Only upon conclusion did she lift her head again.

"Strengthen their ties? You must have cracked your head with that fall. And you could repay me by sitting still when we're on opposing teams," she sneered before she headed to her lane.

"She is a bit head strong, isn't she?" Amumu softly said after the assassin was out of sight.

"I think she sort of has to be if she wants to represent her home as a woman. A sign of kindness can be viewed as a sign of weakness," Lux said with a weary sigh.

"I never thought of it that way. But I think despite her words, you might have unnerved her. She didn't beat your face in right where you stand, nor did she fling a series of curses afterward." She filed that bit of information away for reflection when she returned to her room.

"I think you are on to something there. Thank you for pointing that out, Amumu," Lux commented sweetly before adhering to Jordaine's suggestion of heading south.

_In the beginning, each team will try to gain the upper hand by securing the first kill of the game as quickly as possible. Not only is there more gold at stake, but it can demoralize the entire team if done correctly._

_It is my mission to ensure that the kill belongs to our team, yes?_

_Absolutely. Do whatever it takes._

_Yes sir!_ She spotted a flash of red entering the bushes further down the lane and realized that Katarina had already secured the brush for her team. Checking that no enemy eyes watched her movements, she joined the assassin in the coverage. She crouched beside the woman but made no effort to communicate.

"You better not mess this up," the Noxian commented curtly, initiating conversation. It pleased Lux endlessly that her impression had been so great upon the woman that she sought interaction with her with little effort on her behalf. Perhaps this would be easier than she had first thought.

"I believe the same can be said to you," she teased. The assassin flashed her a look of certain impending death, drawing a devilish smirk from Lux, but the sounds of the approaching enemy diffused the moment.

_Amumu is above your location, waiting to pincer off the enemy_, Jordaine informed. What he forgot to mention, however, was information about the opponents themselves. A metallic hand shot through the duo's hiding spot, reaching for a body. Lux's reflexes dropped her into a roll out of the bushes while the assassin managed to dodge while remaining hidden.

"Get her," ordered a calm voice belonging to a peculiar swordsman. His teammates, the massive robotic creature along with a large and sturdy man, followed the command without hesitation. Lux searched her memory for profiles she had read about the currently serving champions and tried to match each of the faces. The second man charged forward with a bellowing roar and threw an axe in her direction. Nimble as can be, she side-stepped the object with ease. Upon a quick examination of the weapon, she recognized the man to be Olaf the Berserker. _How fitting,_ she thought dryly. Process of elimination would state that the robot was Blitzcrank, for she had only read of one golem fighting for the League. All that left was the swordsman, who stood behind his teammates. He sensed a trap. "Wait!" he cried, but it was far too late. Amumu enchanted a lose bandage and threw it with exceptional aim. The linen wrapped around the lone swordsman, binding him in place while Amumu descended upon him.

"Yi!" Olaf yelled and reversed his momentum to return to his ally. Lux smiled as her own enemy identified the final member of the team. Her last opponent was none other than the legendary Master Yi himself. With a snap of her finger, a baton appeared within her hands. She twisted her wrist and forced her will through crystal, and a ray of light flew towards her enemies. Had they been paying attention, they could have reacted to the potent spell, but they only had eyes for Yi. The light grabbed at Olaf's ankles and bound him in place while a secondary light from the refraction captured the golem. At was then that Katarina left her hiding place and threw a handful of daggers at the swordsman. The man bit his lip to contain his verbal reply to the pain but found the effort to be in vain. The Noxian swung for the kill.

_First Blood!_ Jordaine excitedly exclaimed. _Now fall back!_ Lux obeyed and ran towards the watchful gaze of her tower. A cry from behind caused her to glance quickly over her shoulder in time to see Katarina being drawn into the powerful duo left. Ignoring Jordaine's pleas, she turned around and charged back to the battle, firing another ray of light. So focused they were on their prey that they did not notice the spell until its effects appeared. Olaf roared again as the crippled assassin stumbled away. Lux grabbed the Noxian's wrist and dragged her to safety of their turret.

"I thought I said to not mess things up?" Lux teased. The woman stared in disbelief before the usual scowl replaced her facial expressions. They joined their summoners in the chanting of the recall spell, but Lux could have sworn she heard a few extra colorful words thrown into the mix.


	3. The Twisted Treeline

"Amumu, look out!" Lux cried as she saw a golden metal hand shoot out from the brush. Her teammate had no chance to defend himself as the Great Steam Golem flung the young mummy into the air. Within a blink of an eye descended Master Yi as he furiously sliced into her ally's sides. The bladesman's sword carelessly dripped in his opponent's blood. Amumu screamed in agony, but his fate was sealed when a thunderclap split the skies and a lightning bolt struck. Olaf yelled in ecstasy.

_An ally has been slain!_ Jordaine regretfully informed her.

"Follow my lead! I heard his comrade call out to him not too far from here," ordered Master Yi, and the enemy team made a dash in her direction. Lux threw out a ball of light, altering their depth perception of the ground, much like when water breaks through the surface of water. She hoped it would give her enough time to race around the bend and down towards her turret. She kept close to the wall of trees, however, as she did not wish to waken the slumbering beast that was supposed to be standing guard. The lizard snored peaceful as she passed by his ground, and she dove into the nearby bushes to hid herself. She tried to formulate a plan that could possibly help her team come back from their current situation. For the first half of the match, the two teams had been relatively even with few kills secured on either side. But something suddenly changed, and the opposing team began to work like a collective unit as opposed to three individuals. They consistently kept the offensive and singled out their targets by drawing one of them in and far from their friends. Simple tactics, yet Blitzcrank made it nearly impossible to counter their success. If only Lux could get a few moments to herself to devise a plan...

"Distract them," Katarina's voice whispered in her ear. Lux's training refused to allow her to visibly jump, but her heartbeat sped up. She could not understand how she did not hear the Noxian approach so close to her, but there was no time to dwell on the matter. Reunited with an ally away from preying eyes gave Lux an advantage over the approaching enemy. One against three never ended well, but perhaps with another ally suddenly jumping into the fray, they might stand a chance.

She turned back the way she came and positioned herself at the crest of the bend before taunting loudly, "In the name of Demacia, I will punish you!"

"Over there!" Master Yi directed, and the team raced for their prey. With a twist of Lux's hand, a ray of light reflected from her magical baton at the feet of her enemies, binding the Wuju Master and Blitzcrank. She then launched into deep spell casting and concentration, drawing upon her deep energies to charge the crystal in her baton. She had no time to panic as the giant figure of Olaf charged at her. Her only chance was to hope she could destroy him before he reached her. She did, though, notice the priceless look on his face when he realized a peculiar shadow loomed over him. "DEMACIA!" Lux screamed and released the charged energy into a power beam of blinding light. She hoped her declaration would be sufficient warning for her ally to not be caught in the crossfire.

The situation proved correct, and the Noxian dropped to the ground just in time to avoid Lux's dazzling attack and closed her eyes. Katarina did not need to see her targets to hit them. Her inner eye was used to lightless skirmishes, and she immediately took advantage of her enemies' loss of vision. She retrieved a knife from both thighs and flung one at Olaf's exposed back while launching the other at the captured Master Yi. For good measure, she pulled a third blade and lodged it deep into the metal armor of the golem, but whether he felt it was yet to be determined. The tip was treated with a Noxian poison that weakened the strength of the target. The poison was not lethal, but there was no known antidote, forcing the afflicted to simply wait out the pain. Not even summoners could ease the discomfort of their champions, but the condition only lasted a mere few seconds, to her displeasure. It was a requirement set by the League that she diluted the concoction to not send every victim to Soraka's care. Even so, the poison did its job by weakening them just enough for her to strike.

The Sinister Blade fell into a deep, meditative trance before exploding in a flurry of motion. She withdrew dagger after dagger from their hidden sheaths and whirled about. Lux closely observed as the woman picked up speed and launched her blades at her opponents, and each weapon found the armor's vulnerable point. Lux realized that this was the infamous Death Lotus she had heard so much about, a move renown for destroying many an unsuspecting victim, and she watched with horror and awe at the deadly, almost dance-like motions. Each whirl brought more pain and blood, and Katarina gleefully laughed. Olaf howled in anguish and, seeking retribution, closed in on red-head for the kill, but an iridescnet light enveloped her body, shielding her from all damage. "Oh, no, you do not!" yelled Lux as she raised her baton high over her head, and the crystal released pulses of protective energy, visible to the naked human eye in the form of a rainbow. Katarina's eyes snapped open at the sound of approaching feet, and she spun away from the Berserker's axe. She countered with a volitant knife to his forehead, and the man stumbled back a step from the force, then crumbled.

_Shut down!_ Jordaine exclaimed.

When her own spell came to an end, Lux had just enough time to notice Blitzcrank wiggling his golden gauntlet off his wrist in preparation for his next attack. If he pulled Katarina, it would disrupt her beautiful dance, and they would both fall. Jordaine quickly mumbled a spell, and Lux flashed into the path of the mechanical hand, allowing herself to be drawn into the enemy. While they were surprised at their catch, both the golem and Master Yi wasted no time smacking her around.

"Duck!" Katarina yelled, and without a question, Lux dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding impaling herself on the swordsman's blade. A dagger lodged itself in Master Yi's throat, severing his windpipe. He toppled over his already fallen comrade.

_Double Kill!_ Jordaine bellowed with excitement.

Katarina's movement ended with one last dagger, aimed at the mighty Steam Golem, but a curious energy wrapped around him in time to protect him from the final blow. Blitzcrank sped away from the duo, steam escaping from his every crevice as his body worked its hardest to flee. "Fuck!" she cursed.

"After him!" Lux shouted and ran into the thick of the jungle. The mechanical champion raced up through the brush to the lane above and then dived into the bushes. Lux dropped her ball of light over the wall and revealed her slowed target. She flicked her wrist to the side, and tendrils of light grasped at his feet to hold him in place. With a snap of her fingers, the ball of light detonated, destroying the remains of the his protective shield. Katarina appeared behind her target and stabbed though the chest plate. A small electrical spark shocked her through her dagger, but Blitzcrank collapsed with a series of _beeps._

_ACE!_ cheered Jordaine.

"What a dumbshit move that was. That cost me the triple," Katarina growled. "Push through top lane to take down the inner turret."

"On my way!" Lux agreed and hurried through the jungle to help her teammate. Between blades flying and balls detonating, their minion wave did not even need to stop to fight. The turret was formidable appearing, indeed, but it only had one hit left. Katarina swung for the kill.

_Your team has destroyed a turret! _Jordaine announced in a sing-song voice. For not the first time in her life, Lux wondered why their city-states had to hold such powerful grudges against each other, for the teamwork between the two of them was unmistakable. Her spells could keep them away from the assassin while prevent them from running away. If the could only work with one another instead of against each other, they could probably get more accomplished. She sighed at her childish fantasy, though, and chased it away to focus on the matter at hand.

_How much longer until they respawn, Jordaine? _she asked as she formulated a plan.

_Olaf will be returning first in thirty-four seconds with his teammates several seconds on his heels._

_Most excellent. Thank you! _she exclaimed. "We got about thirty some seconds to take out the base without interference," she voiced aloud, and Katarina quickly glanced her way. "You think we can do it?"

"I won't need nearly that long, even with your help," scoffed the assassin.

"Then let us end this battle. For Demacia!"

"Fuck Demacia. Blood for Noxus!" The women stormed through the base, making short work of the minions. At this point, the second wave of minions had arrived in the base, bolstering their numbers. The inhibitor did not have a prayer.

_Your team has destroyed an inhibitor!_

The Nexus turret loomed over them. With a score of minions and a heavy-hitting ally, the tower did not seem as daunting to take down as Lux originally believed. A couple of hits remained on the turret when Olaf appeared at the fountain, his body refreshed of all previous wounds. He yelled an indecipherable string of words as he charged for the duo. Lux casually flicked her wrist and bound him in place. As if the Berserker was not angry enough, his fury increased two-fold upon becoming snared, and his rage broke the light's hold over him. "What the-" Lux began, but then caught herself.

Katarina, however, filled in the blanks for her. "Oh fuck! Hit the turret more. It'll switch to you in a moment!" Just as she had been warned, Lux was pounded by a ray of energy. The women circled behind the turret and minions to put more distance between themselves and the stampeding mad-man. Lux took another hit from the turret, scorching her right shoulderblade. It hit harder with each consecutive hit, she realized in horror. Katarina smacked the turret again, but not before it fired at Lux for the third time.

_Your team has destroyed a turret!_

"You are mine!" Olaf shouted as he approached Lux. With little time to spare, Lux commanded her baton to shine brilliantly, granting them both a shield, just as Olaf dropped a lightning bolt on her. Lux bit her lip to keep from screaming, but the light barrier just barely kept her alive. Katarina appeared behind Olaf and stabbed him in the spine, but he took no notice. He wanted the kill that had been stolen from him in the last encounter. Lux dashed through a wave a minions and hoped the sea of bobbing heads could kept them apart. "Come back here!" he roared and kicked away minions, foe and friend alike, in his obsessive hunt. Several melee minions did not take kindly to Lux's presence and gave chase along with Olaf.

"Come to the wall," whispered a kind voice outside the base. Lux obliged and raced to salvation. She spun around and, with wide terrified eyes, allowed her hunter to close in on her.

He was a few steps from the weakened woman, trapped in the corner with his minions, but he could not shake the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something was wrong. Her teammate was hitting the Nexus and not swooping in for a kill. _It_ is _Katarina, after all,_ he shrugged, absolving the situation of any reason or logic. He let loose a rage-induced roar as he descended on the enemy.

"Now!" Lux ordered, and an enchanted bandage wrapped itself around the closest minion. Olaf stopped in his tracks to avoid intercepting the throw himself. Amumu launched over the wall and into the base, placing himself between Olaf and his comrade. The mummy began to sob violently, each magical tear robbing enemies of their life force. The Berserker charged in anyway and flung his axe at Amumu's head. He accepted the hit, and returned with a terrible curse. All the minions caught instantly perished, and Olaf was unable to move while his opponent continued to pound him. He saw Master Yi materialize on the fountain and tried to call for help, but his mouth would not obey him. Before the Wuju Master could step off the platform, his Nexus exploded with purple fire.

_Victory!_ cheered Jordaine. _Good job, Lux! I will begin summoning back to the Institute momentarily._

_You are more than welcome to take your time with that..._ Katarina stood beside the Nexus, awaiting her return spell.

"You fight very well and deserve the name Sinister Blade, Katarina. It was a pleasure to be on your team," Lux said with a small head bow while her eyes devoured the woman's expression.

"Let's get something straight here," the assassin snapped. "As pleasing as it would be to watch you writhe in pain, I enjoying winning more. You're mine next time." With those last words, her body evaporated into the air before Lux. A tiny grin found its way on her face before she could think better of it. Once again, it would appear that little effort on her behalf would be expended to encounter her target again. A light hand patted her shoulder, and immediately she wiped away the smile on her face and replaced it with a grim look.

"Do not be intimidated by that one, young Lux," said Master Yi. "She is cold to all, so do not take it to heart. You fought well. Though I do not approve of the tactics you employ, it is understandable why one as tiny as you must use your mind more than your arms."

"I deeply appreciate your compliment, Master Yi, especially coming from one who was my opponent. You struck fear in my heart when you would round a corner. It is my dearest wish to see you on the battlefield again, though I would much prefer to be on your side next time," she ended with a giggle, and given the man's tone, she internally sighed with relief that no one had noticed anything awry.

"It would be a pleasure," he stated before he, too, returned.


	4. Confirming and Divulging

Lux sat under the heavy stream of hot water beating against her back. Though Jordaine had cast numerous healing spells on her before leaving the Fields of Justice, the final turret hit left her shoulder blade sore. She hugged her knees tighter as the water made direct contact with the stiff muscles. The throb barely existed, but it gave her a good enough excuse to extend her shower time, and almost any would do. It gave her time the time to really be herself and shed her exterior of the role she needed to play. It was perhaps the only place she could feel vulnerable and journey through wild flights of fantasy without fear of interruption. And so her began her contemplation with her most recent teammates, starting with the young yet brave mummy. She was fascinated by how Amumu was strong enough to endure a turret's attacks and walk away wanting more. Perhaps it was the knowledge that his teammates needed him to that pushed him to take on the role, as she knew well. Even so, Lux was no novice to pain, but she had no desire to be caught in the cross-hairs of a tower ever again. She briefly wondered about the child's past and why one so young had perished before his life had begun. What had he done to anger someone so? The steady stream of water washed away her sorrow before she could dwell on it further.

Her thoughts soon turned to the deadly yet beautiful assassin who also fought beside her. Katarina had dispatched the entire team with astounding power, yet she had been dissatisfied that the announcer did not tag it as a "triple." _Was it because Noxus would receive less honor from the match or because it did not reflect her own prowess,_ she pondered. Lux replayed the memory in slow motion of Katarina's terrifying dance. The dim light that poured through the canopy of leaves above in addition to the contrast between the dark clothes and light skin almost made the image drained of color until a swish of her red hair flashed or blood dripped from the enemies' wounds. The sight was sickeningly beautiful the way the Noxian had perfected her art, for it was an art. A flawless and deadly art. A passerby would be entranced with the scene much like one cannot help but stare at tragic accident.

Lux had made some kind of lasting impression, it seemed, for Katarina had said multiple times that she sought a future encounter with her. While perhaps it was the typical thing she might say to people, she had held enough presence to catch the assassin's attention. _You're mine next time, _she remembered, and a chill danced down her spine, despite the steam fogging up the cubicle. She had no doubt Katarina meant her words with as much malice as possible, but she could not help but feel... excited? Yes, excited. It had been far too long since she had tested herself against a true opponent, and her skin crawled with growing anticipation. Perhaps she had been right that this could be fun.

Against her will, she turned the silver knob to the left to cut off the water and reached for her towel. She could not spend the day locked in her shower, despite her desires. At the very least, Havien would be waiting for lunch soon, and she could not afford to miss that encounter. She slipped into her battle armor, repaired to perfection by Jordaine's magic. Summoners seemed to have all kinds of skills, which slightly unnerved her. She was walking around in the dark as far as an assessment of their capabilities. Such information had been classified during her stay at the Academy, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not locate a single passage in any book that described their powers. Could they all do what they did for her Judgment and peer into her head? Could they create illusions shaped from her very memories at any moment?

It was about time to dispel a few myths.

* * *

"Is it alright if I join you still?" a melodic voice requested from above.

"Ah, Lux! Yes, please sit down with me," Havien merrily greeted, motioning her to sit beneath the mighty oak tree with him. "I was worried you were caught in business you couldn't escape from. I am glad you were able to make it." He bit into his lunch-meat sandwich.

"As am I, Havien. I had to go about my day a bit slower than usual. I still feel a light sting from that last turret blast to my shoulder," she said as she sat cross-legged beside him. She placed the bowl she carried in her lap, revealing a colorful summer salad. While her shoulder indeed felt much better after the water's massage, feigning vulnerability helped for others to open up in reply, as it wordlessly hinted that the two could possibly trust one another after all.

"What do you mean you still feel a light sting? Did your partner not cast spells of healing and refreshment before parting?" he asked hurriedly, and she nearly chuckled at how the man was already tripping over himself to gain a measure of closeness with her. Once again, she thanked her luck for sending such a gullible man her way. "Not only is it a requirement, but also a common courtesy for a summoner to aid their champion!" he continued. "I would pour my very heart into restoring your strength if you were my partner."

"Oh, that he did cast spells upon me, fret not, Havien. However, between you and me, I do not think Jordiane was as accomplished in his studies as you, but who could truly fault him for that?" said Lux with a giggle, then took a nibble of her food. It was easy to see that her previous meeting with the man had also left a strong impression on him, and his ego still continued to burn.

"Jordaine, huh?" he commented as he held his chin in his hand. "Should have figured..."

"You know the summoner?" she prodded.

"Yes. We were once in the same training group, but I ascended to a higher level long before he had the opportunity to catch up," he replied with a not so subtle smug grin. "If you would like, I could heal your shoulder for you."

"You are able to do so outside the Summoner's Platform?" she asked with wide, round eyes, careful to sound surprised rather than anxious.

"Well, technically, I suppose not, but I know you'd never tell, right?"

"Your secret will be safe with me," Lux assured with a gentle smile. A quick glance about the courtyard revealed that no one's attention was focused on him, and he soon mumbled words of healing. She felt the slight pressure relieved from her tendons and freedom to move about as she pleased.

"Once again, you have my deepest appreciation, Havien. That was sweet of you."

"I saw no reason to allow my favorite champion to walk into her next battle without full strength. While I am sure you could still best them all, you should be spared of the discomfort."

"Havien! Stop before you make me blush," Lux forced another giggle. In truth, the man was rather repugnant to her. The amount of ego contained in one body astounded her almost as much as his unfamiliarity with soap. Bile slowly crawled up her throat until she could taste it the more she breathed in his scent. She found it ironic that he wished to spare her discomfort yet his very presence prevented that very goal, but she tried her best to keep her disgust or distress from her expression.

"My apologies, Lux. I will keep truth to myself from now on." Though she knew it to be a teasing statement, she could not dismiss the fear of losing her contact so soon before learning what all she needed from him. As much as it bothered she, she played along.

"Please do not do that! I simply meant that you were being far too generous with your assessment of my abilities. I do appreciate the risk you took for me, though... I am confused as to why it was a risk to begin with," she stated, allowing her voice to trail off like she was lost in thought.

"Because you are right. I am supposed to keep my magic contained to the Summoner's Platform. The Institute would be furious if they discovered the misuse of magic."

"I believe you lost me once again, Havien," she said sheepishly. "My dearest apologies, but could you explain to me a bit better? I cannot see the harm in casting a helpful spell on those who are in need, like you did for me."

"They fear that magic can easily go awry, and at the Platform are a number of focusing runes to aid in concentration. They forbid the use of magic for the safety of all."

"But that is not true. During my Judgment, I was nowhere near the Platform, yet they were able to cast illusions and probe my mind."

"Ah, yes. That is another room that has runes to augment a summoner's abilities, but even then, that room is far different than others. A group of summoners form a bond with one another and share their collective power. The Institute chooses a leader for the assignment, and all channel their energy to the chosen. That is how they were able to enter your mind without forming a friendly connection at first. I have been chosen as leader quite a few times," he boasted proudly.

"What an honor! The amount of power running through your body must have been intoxicating," Lux purred.

"It was, indeed. But I am a strong willed man, and I refused to allow that to get the best of me."

"I am positive you are well on your way to your just rewards. Continue to be patient," she commented, throwing another bone to his now well-fed ego.

"I am a patient man for the things I want, my dear," he attempted to reply cryptically, but Lux noticed from the corner of her eye how he stared at her. Disgust flipped her stomach. She tried to remind herself that this was exactly was she had wanted, for it made charming information out of the man easier, but still she desperately wished to change the topic before things progressed. Havien had confirmed - and disproved - several necessary points about summoners, which pleased her greatly, but now it was time to map out a few rules. The kind that are not exactly explicitly mentioned in textbooks.

"You are quite the patient one. I am sure you will not be overlooked much longer. But I fear the patience of others around here," Lux said, changing her tone to add a flavor of fear.

"What do you mean?" he asked as his eyebrows furrowed closely together.

"I... am fearful, Havien," Lux whispered. The man practically fell over himself as he tried to lean closer. "You promise not to tell anyone?" She completed the expression by opening her eyes wide and raising her eyebrows.

"Of course, my dear! Why are you afraid? An angel like you should bath in the sunlight, not cower in the shadows. Tell me of your problems so that I can erase your worries."

"There is someone in the League who wishes me ill will," she spoke in half-truths, for did not every Noxian wish her terrible things for simply being a Demacian?

"I am sure everyone here bears someone a grudge from the city they hail from or for something similar, but that is no reason to be scared," Havien said reassuringly, but she needed more than that.

"I think this is different, Havien. The conviction in their eyes... it was so intense. I lock my door now, but I know that will not stop them. How can the League possibly keep malicious champions in check?"

"I suppose there physically is nothing the Institute can do to stop them from the act," he mused, drawing another frightened look from Lux. "But the retribution will be swift and severe. All champions take an oath to be faithful to the code the League set for them, as you may remember recently swearing. Champions may not slay one another off the Fields of Justice while on League grounds, otherwise it is beyond their jurisdiction." Lux nodded. "That oath is binding for eternity, for those blessed with longevity. Any champion caught will be accused of murder and be set before a trial by the League. Their membership will be suspended until the trial comes to a close, in which the membership may revoked entirely depending on the outcome, and the city-states they represent, if any, will be heavily investigated. Not having the League in your side, politically, will allow that city to fall behind. No city here is stupid enough to gamble away such a powerful presence."

"So you believe they were simply bluffing then?"

"Who knows, but I would be weary of the shadows."

"While that does not completely ease my mind, I offer- no, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your efforts to help my troubles are sweet and kind. I am grateful for someone as knowledgable as you guiding me."

"Anything for you, Lux." As he began to scoot closer to her, Lux collected her things and rose.

"My apologies, Havien, but I have matters I must attend to before my next challenge. Thank you for once again for your assistance. Good day!" she said before leaving quickly.

"Good day, and fight well," she heard him reply, though his voice revealed a tone of disappointment.

The summoner had been so eager to win her friendship that he confirmed and divulged important information without even asking why. She surmised that sometimes when answers are obvious to one that they overlook what questions they could solve for another. Her body felt lighter after it dropped the mounting anxiety of the unknown, and Lux breathed in deeply the clean scent of fresh air. She was free. Free from that terrible smell the man carried about him, but so was her mind. No longer did she fear the League peering into her mind at a moment's notice. Her sanctuary was safe. There was still much to do, but there was no need to rush anymore. She involuntarily shuddered at the course that lay before her. But she now knew that no one would be able to stop what was coming.


	5. The Encounter

_Welcome to Summoner's Rift, Lux,_ greeted Jordaine._ Now that you have had your first taste of the Fields, I thought it was time to bring you to the real battle grounds. I am positive our teamwork will lead to success._

_I am sure as well! Please feel free to give me your suggestions as you see fit, _Lux cheerfully chimed.

_For this match, you will support your partner, Olaf, in the bottom lane. I apologize that your first match here will be rather unusual, but I had very little choice in the matter. Given this, I want you to continue to grow in power as the game progresses. Take one selfish item for yourself. It would be a shame for you to not shine like a polished gem._

_A bright decision, Jordaine! _she exclaimed before leaving the base. The lane was far longer to traverse than the one in the Twisted Treeline, but she enjoyed observing the terrain to use to her advantage later in the match. This Field was more colorful than the drab filter on the Twisted Treeline. There were so many shades of vivid green around her, not to mention the clarity of the beautiful sky above. The arena seemed like it was taken from a book of fairy tales with plenty of (living) trees and grass. Sadly, there was a noticeable lack of flowers or birds, but it was understandable that distractions needed to be removed. She wondered if the whole field had been constructed by the hands of magic or had this been crafted by the loving hands of nature. She tried to recall any information she learned about the history of the area from her days at the Academy, but she came a little short with regards to her memory. Even with the beauty of the scene she gazed upon, she could not help but felt there was something almost ominous about the place. There was a thick fog about the arena, and Lux could only see a handful of strides before her. How easy it would be to catch an unsuspecting foe, she thought, but the same could be said in reverse. She was rather grateful to be a light mage at that moment. Suddenly she heard heavy foot falls far behind her and guessed Olaf would catch up to her very soon. She arrived at the brush just beyond her tower and awaited her teammate, similarly to how she had in her previous match. Time slowly ticked, and yet Olaf's looming form did not arrive beside her.

_You must be joking!_ she heard Jordaine fume in her head. Even when things had been rough the last time she shared a bond with Jordaine, never had he sounded so furious.

_What is the problem, my Summoner?_ she questioned softly, hoping to smooth away his troubles.

_Our team already asked our fellow champion Shaco to destroy the monsters hiding in the forest to give the rest of us the opportunity to remain in lane. The summoner in charge of your would-be teammate Olaf, however, would like to attempt the same in the enemy's side, leaving you alone to defend your lane against two. Let's not touch the topic of how_ asinine _it is to have__ a teammate in enemy territory unprotected. I know Warwick is most likely to be mirroring the role for his team, and he has excelled at an ability that steals the life force from an opponent,_ he replied as his irritation threatened to boil over.

_While I will not say it will be easy, I am confident I can handle the defense of my tower. You suggested I take a selfish item, so I will set that as my first goal so as to assist me. And Olaf is a worthy adversary, as I recall keenly from our last match. Have no fears!_ she brightly said. She knew that his ability to make clear decisions would greatly affect the outcome of the fight, so it was important to calm his nerves quickly.

_If you believe you can handle it, then I trust your judgment. _Lux retreated several paces to stand under the watchful gaze of her turret. While she would indeed face two opponents, she was not truly alone. She recalled the terrible and great power of the turret beside her and knew that with enough cunning, she could keep the enemy at bay. Perhaps if she snared one within range of the mighty tower, she could cause some serious harm. _Thirty seconds 'til minions spawn,_ Jordaine informed.

_Understood. I eagerly await their arrival, along with my opponents'._

The calm over the battlefield was broken by the sound of steel ringing against steel. _What an idiot,_ Jordaine mumbled. A horrifying scream caused Lux to involuntarily shudder followed by an inhuman howl. _First Blood._

_What has happened?! _she asked urgently.

_Our_ friend _instructed Olaf to patiently wait in the tall bushes within the enemy's forest, far removed from any ally's assistance. Warwick and Katarina walked through the same bush, and instead of running at first sight, the man leaped out. They easily secured a kill, the victory going to Katarina. This summoner may very well cost us the game if he cannot get it together._

_One member cannot throw in a game, Jordaine. It is the team's responsibility to adjust as necessary instead of watching blankly._

_We shall see._

* * *

_It is eerily silent,_ Lux commented. The enemy had vanished from sight, and her team felt nervous of their opponents lurking from every shadow. A twig broke, and everyone tensed, thinking it to be an ambush. But after several moments of stillness, no one had charged. The group sighed again before resuming their previous actions, and several of them scattered.

_That it is, Lux,_ Jordiane replied._ Lee Sin is heading north of your location to investigate the grounds near Baron Nashor for signs of their forces gathering there. You should check the Dragon's Lair and be sure of the same._

_Of course!_ she happily agreed. Reconnaissance was her specialty, after all. Lux circled around back and threw a ball of light over the wall, dispelling the thick fog that had once been there. Only an empty pit appeared. _The Dragon has already been slain. We were too late, _she reported, though she did not bother to hide the lament in her voice.

_Investigate the area further. Perhaps you can sneak up on an unsuspecting, weakened enemy hoping to return after the battle.._

_It would be my pleasure,_ she said sincerely and began her hunt. As she headed up the path to a patch of bushes, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. While she could not discern anything to be out of place audibly or visually, her instincts insisted she had missed something. She twisted her wrist, and her baton fired a small ray of light into the brush, binding anyone caught in its path. With a familiar sound, a figure grabbed Lux from behind, holding her at knife-point.

"Didn't I ask you to sit still?" Katarina teased, pressing the dagger closer into her skin.

"And so I have yet to move," she countered, speaking softly to keep her throat from slicing itself on the razor edge. "Now that I have fulfilled your request, let us begin!" In the blink of an eye, Jordaine's spell spirited Lux away to the very same bushes the assassin had been concealing herself in only moments ago.

"You sneaky bitch," Katarina spat and charged at the brush. A ball of light appeared before her, and suddenly she had trouble perceiving the distance to the ground below her feet. The anomaly's true power was instilling doubt, and Lux took every advantage of the situation as she fired a series of small bolts at her enemy and kept out of the woman's reach. Katarina growled and decided to trust her instincts and not her eyes and maneuvered beyond the ball's twisting form, but the light mage had another surprise. Lux snapped her fingers, and the ball exploded, stinging Noxian sharply. "That's all you got?" she sneered and disappeared from sight. Lux's instincts whirled her around swiftly, and she flicked her wrist, firing a ray of light into the empty air behind her. A blink of an eye later, however, it was not empty, and Katarina's feet were bound by the light. Lux jumped back a few paces.

"I am just getting warmed up," Lux taunted with a grim smile as she fired more bolts at the captured enemy. The assassin only laughed at her confinement and flung a dagger towards her opponent. Lux barely noticed the flicker of movement, and the knife found its mark under the sliver of a gap between armor pieces. She recoiled from the impact and clutched her abdomen, her cloth body suit underneath revealing blossoming red. The grasp on the Noxian's feet dissipated, and she closed in for the kill. Katarina disappeared into the shadows only to materialize behind the staggered Lux and fell deep within herself, allowing her own instincts to take over.

Lux recalled the series of movements from when Katarina had been her teammate and nearly cursed. She commanded her baton to bathe her in a radiant glow of iridescent light, protecting her from enemy attacks. Daggers flew at her back no matter how far she retreated, but the shield absorbed much of the damage. Lux realized that distance would not matter, for the assassin's aim was uncanny, and she had no desire to truly run away from this fight. As soon as the crystal embedded at the top of the baton dimmed, she ripped the first dagger from her stomach and began channeling her energy. The deadly dance of the Noxian continued pounding away at her shield, but it was close to breaking. Soon she would feel the full brunt of the attack, and she knew it was not close to its end. Once more, she found her only option to be offense. The bright bubble surrounding her shattered, and a dagger lodged itself in her shoulder. She grimaced but siphoned her pain into the crystal, fueling the strength of her casting. "FOR DEMACIA!" she screamed, and her focusing agent released the powerful, bright energy it had stored. Weariness clutched at Lux's bones as the power of the spell robbed her of much of her strength. She had known that the Institute's magic would severely limit her own, but never had she guessed she could be so diminished.

When her vision returned, Lux saw a panting Katarina collapse to the ground, and she hoped that it was the end of their duel so she could regain her energy. The woman looked up at Lux and growled, "Is that all you got, Demacian worm?" A soft, green glow enveloped the assassin, and some of her wounds closed. Her summoner had prepared a spell of healing for this match, Lux silently cursed, and Katarina rose with a renewed fire in her eyes. "This ends now!" she shouted and charged at her opponent. Lux flicked her wrist to the side, and a ray of light sought to bind, but Katarina vanished into the shadows once more.

Lux dropped a ball of light behind her right as the assassin arrived. The Noxian closed her eyes, knowing they would only deceive her, and trusted in the countless hours she had spent in lightless training sessions. The light mage realized there was no advantage to be gained and snapped her fingers, detonating the ball. Katarina took the magical blow in full and countered with a furious attack, her twin blades stabbing at every opportunity. Lux commanded her baton to block the incoming damage with another brilliant shield. She no longer had the energy to use abilities until she regained her strength or returned to the fountain, both of which required time that she did not have. Only her wits and reflexes would get her out alive. "Throw your axe!" she screamed behind her opponent, and Katarina's eyes snapped open to check over her shoulder. No teammate was seen. Too late did she realize the trick and took a baton smack to her cheek.

"You sneaky bitch!" she spat for the second time. She pressed her advance harder, each hand working independent of the other. To her surprise, her opponent dodged her swipes and whatever she could not wiggle away from was blocked with the baton. The light mage was trained in close combat, she realized. One on one matches always revealed much about an opponent, and the assassin found herself eager to learn more. Katarina delivered a complex series of attacks, assaulting from opposing angles and heights. She watched careful as the Demacian carried on with the defense, but the Noxian noticed the lack of power behind the moves. She could protect herself well enough, it seemed, but an offense without magic would surely fail. "Interesting," she whispered. The battlefield around her faded as she focused intently on the mysterious mage. She was reminded of Garen and their previous encounters, but this was different. Garen relied solely on his strength in battle, and his moves became stale to her. He was easy to predict, and his code of honor kept him in check from what he needed to do. Lux, however, was cunning like herself and held no naive codes. The fight suddenly became an irresistible challenge that could not be ignored.

The women circled each other, their eyes watching for a flicker of movement or a weakness in their physical or metaphorical armor. Lux realized the assassin's fullest attention was on her, as if wanting to test her. Elation flushed through her veins, and she refused to give away this perfect opportunity. She aimed a swipe at the Noxian's feet with her baton and quickly slid her right hand off the weapon. It was an awkward move at best, but a feint did not need to be powerful. The sudden flurry of motion surprised Katarina, and she responded swiftly by deflecting the blow with one of her blades. She opened her mouth to make a snide comment, but an unexpected force collided with her jaw. She leaped back a step and stared at the Demacian, and Lux winked in reply before brandishing her weapon, both hands now grasping it. A devilish grin formed on her face, and she lunged at the deceptively delicate mage. She committed to a double downward thrust aimed for the center Lux's torso. Expectedly, the baton parried both blades and attempted to hold them in place. Katarina took the opportunity to deliver a powerful kick, but rather than connecting with a solid form, her leg greeted empty air as Lux twisted her body away. "So this is the Sinister Blade everyone has been talking about?" Lux teased. Curiously, instead of a rush of rage at the comment, Katarina found herself smirking. She was... having fun. Most of her tactics relied on instilling terror in her victim and causing wide-spread panic, yet this Demacian seemed to resist those efforts. And she, in turn, easily countered the mage's attempts to blind or deceive her eyes. Perhaps she had finally found a true opponent.

Katarina worked her opponent's attention upwards as each knife came closer to her head. In the middle of Lux's dodge, the assassin kicked behind the Lux's calves and swiped the legs out from under her. Lux fell on her back, and the force stole the air from her lungs. "I had hoped more of you," the Noxian murmured, and for a moment, Lux thought she saw disappointment in her eyes. As she swung for the kill, Lux retaliated with the same move that brought her down, tumbling the assassin to the ground.

"Maybe you should have kept hoping," she said and held eye-contact with her opponent. The women sat there motionless. Lux dropped her battle mask in favor of a tiny smile. The Noxian's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before her lips tugged into a half smile as well. The moment was stolen as sharp talons emerged from beneath Lux and pierced her skin. A powerful energy wracked her body, and she returned her gaze Katarina's eyes before her vision blackened. Jordaine began chanting the spell of revival to bring back his champion, but he informed Lux that her return would not be swift. Lux's battered body remained on the field near the two enemies. Sight was taken from her, but her hearing somehow remained.

"That kill was mine. How dare you interfere!" Katarina hissed.

"How dare I?" her killer replied incredulously. "I watched the final moments of that fight. You were toying with your food. If anyone else had seen this, they might have mistaken it for mercy. It needed to end."

"Never fucking steal from me again, Swain. And that is a god damn order."

"Only my summoner can order things of me on the Field, and even that is minimal. You have no authority over me. Watch yourself, Sinister Blade, lest you grow weak," the Noxian General warned, his tone emphasizing his disgust with the last word. Swain returned to lane, leaving Katarina to her thoughts.

"I am not weak," she growled, but Lux thought she heard something more laced in the woman's tone that sounded like sorrow.

* * *

The match was close, but Lux's team was defeated. While everyone did adjust to compensate for Olaf's continuous failures, the gold the enemy received for his deaths helped them pull further and further ahead. Lux approached Katarina as they departed from the Summoner's Rift. "I congratulate you on your well-earned victory," she opened.

"Your death was pleasing," the Noxian countered.

"I suppose to you it was. But I cannot deny that I am disappointed we did not reach a conclusion ourselves," she remarked.

After a small pause, Katarina glanced at Lux. "It bothered me too."

"I enjoyed our fight. I have not felt such thrill in a duel in a very long time. I did not care who would be the victor. At first, I did wish to secure a kill off you, but soon it was the simple pleasure of the battle. I thank you, Sinister Blade," she said and bowed her head lightly. "As allies or enemies, I eagerly look forward to our next match together."

"Maybe we can resume one day," the assassin answered after a silence, a shadow of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She opened her mouth to continue, but she caught a glimpse of Swain from the corner of her eye, a glance that was not lost on Lux."There will be blood for Noxus," she promised and finished teleporting away from Summoner's Rift.


	6. Duty

She lightly dipped the pen in the well and continued writing. While there was a true pen within reach, Lux secretly adored using the quill, for she loved the smell of the parchment set with fresh ink. It gave her a feeling of times of long passed. Sadly, she did not have a candle lit next to her, but who would prefer that when sunlight cascading from the prism window shined all the colors of the rainbow on the paper? A small rapping at the door caused her to quickly close the desk, hiding the letter from sight. She moved to the edge of her bed before saying, "The door is unlocked, so please come join me!" A familiar face entered the room and quietly shut the door behind him. "Why, Garen, you knocked! You listen to me after all!" she voice rang merrily. The man took his seat in the white velvet armchair a few steps away from his sister. "To what do I owe this visit, brother?"

"I wanted to congratulate you on your first handful of matches," he replied, and his deep voice resounded with untold pride. Lux nearly flushed with joy to hear his approval before recovering from the burst of emotion. She settled for a simple smile instead. "Word with the summoners is that you are a new favorite and that you do Demacia justice."

"Is that what they're saying? How sweet of them," Lux laughed, and her voice rang merrily. She caught a strange expression in her brother's eyes, however, and her laugh was short lived. He was not here for pleasantries, she realized and internally sighed. _Of course he wouldn't pay me a visit just for that._

"I am also here because of another set of words I have caught. It would appear you are purposefully seeking out Katarina of Noxus and singling her out with attention. I must stress upon you how ill advised that course is if you wish to full committed to upholding Demacia's justice."

"So you're allowed to play with her and I'm not? How rude," she smiled but her eyes did not carry the motion. Garen, though, did not take notice, as usual.

"I do not play with her either," he grumbled.

"That's not the words that I've been told," Lux sang forcibly sweet.

"I do not care what others say," he replied, a bit more forcefully than the last.

"You do enough to take them up on things to scold me for, though," she countered innocently enough.

"Enough, Lux! Please. I do not have to remind you that we are at the precipice of war with Noxus, do I? Associating with the enemy... It would not be wise to continue your friendship or what have you with that woman."

"I advise you the same course, Might of Demacia," she teased, but there was something more in her voice that caused Garen to finally look at his sister with new eyes. "You, too, are of the same family as I am, and that means that you, too, must be bound by the same responsibilities. You are the firstborn as well as captain of the Vanguard. The man of the family, and soon to be of your own, with time. You will be watched much more keenly than I will. Word already says that you have a strong desire for more from the assassin, and this is not looked upon favorably... Please, Garen," Lux pleaded, her voice growing softer. "Forget about her. You only want her because you can't have her. Don't do this to our family. You could put us all in danger."

"How... dare you. You imply that I do not care about our family? You do not understand what I have sacrificed for them, for you! All that I have lost fighting their petty squabbles! How-" he cut himself off, clenching his hand in a tight fist. "This discussion is over before I say things I might one day regret." He rose to his feet and stormed towards the door.

"Garen. No, please wait." The man stopped walking but he refused to turn around. His hand gripped the knob so strongly she feared it would crumble beneath his incredible strength. "I said these things because I'm worried. About you, about our family, and Demacia. I don't want anything to happen to you. I love you dearly. I felt I could be honest with you out of anybody. Please don't be angry with me."

"And I love you," he sighed before he left. With the click of the door, she fell backwards into the expanse of the bed's comforter, hoping to find the answers she longed for. She had given him a chance, something that was beyond what was required. In fact, it threatened the vary nature of her task. If he were to be more perceptive, he might have caught an inkling of said task. A part of her wished that he had been, for how she longed to let out the secret! But of course, the logical voice in her mind chided her for such thoughts, for if anyone guessed, it would be her very undoing. There was no other choice left than to continue forward. She recalled the image of his furious eyes and hoped to any god that would listen that this was not the last time they would speak. Duty called her to her feet again, and she returned to the desk to complete her report.

* * *

_Thwack!_ Her dagger lodged itself in between the makeshift eyes of her target.

_Thwack!_ A knife protruded from the enemy's throat.

_Thwack!_ Another weapon pierced the heart.

Katarina opened her eyes and looked at the wooden dummy. The moonlight reflected off the blades to reveal her flawless accuracy, but then again, she mused, the target was stationary. She retrieved her daggers to make room for more throws, but the hair on the back of her neck stood up. The assassin whirled around to see a figure standing not too far behind her. She assessed the possible reasons for the visitor and came to the conclusion that this person was here for her. No one else was crazy enough to train at night. She brandished her weapons and snarled, "Who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want with me?"

"Do you own all the training dummies? I knew you were a prominent name in Noxus, but I did not think that earned you so many favors in the League," a melodic voice taunted from the shadows. "It makes me wonder what I could get away with," came a merry laugh. Katarina knew the owner of that voice, for how could she not know? That voice had echoed in her head ever since she last heard it, for she had constantly replayed their encounter in her mind.

"You mean to tell me that you're here to practice?" she said sarcastically.

"You mean to tell me that you are not here to practice?" the figured laughed. Katarina lowered her arms but kept a firm grasp on the hilts as the figure came closer. A ball of light appeared in the darkness and revealed the figure to be the Demacian light mage, Lux. "I enjoy training at night too. It prevents me from cheating and bending the light around me to my will. I will have to draw upon myself for the energy. Of course, I could still cheat and use the moon's light, but the crescent is not enough to power me alone for training."

"I would have never thought you were a night trainer," Katarina said and sheathed her longer blades in favor of smaller ones. As in the previous duel, the mysterious mage captured her fullest attention, and her mounting curiosity grew without restraint. Where others had turned and fled, this woman cheerfully walked beside her and acted as if Katarina was as harmless as a butterfly. Shocked by Demacian, she did not even consider cutting out the woman's tongue, but somehow she knew it was not out of lack of respect, so she stayed her hand. _What was it about her...?_

"I like to mix it up. Night ones are obviously harder and take more out of me, so I try to alternate. Do you always come out at night?" she asked then fired a series of bolts from her baton at the dummy.

"Yes. It's quieter," came a curt reply, and Katarina glanced out of the corner of her eye to gauge the reception of her words.

"Oh, my apologies," Lux replied evenly, and the assassin could not discern whether it had been found offensive or not. She had not wanted to silence the Demacian, but she was curious about her temperament and what lay beyond the mask, like the glimpse she had witness during their match. The two fell silent as they honed their abilities in the night. As the shinning crescent rose higher in the sky, Lux stopped her ranged attacks and focused more on her melee. The assassin watched curiously from the corner of her eye but continued throwing her weapons. As she previous suspected, Lux had been trained in close combat, and the routine was not so unlike her own when she practiced without her blades. She grew restless with the repetitive motions and closed her eyes again, launching all her daggers at the dummy. She peeked to catch a glimpse of her accuracy, but once again, everything was perfect. She sighed and began retrieving her weapons again. "You are not challenging yourself enough," Lux commented, breaking the silence.

"The League doesn't challenge me anymore," the assassin said with a mirthless laugh.

"I could help with that. If you wanted, I mean." Katarina stopped pulling at her dagger to glance at the mysterious mage.

"What do you propose?"

"Well... how about this?" Three discs from the pile behind them rose into the air and soared overhead. The three entered an endless cycle of circles several yards in front of them. The Noxian stared in disbelief. "As far as on the battlefield is concerned, I am a light mage because that is my specialty. But that is not all I can do. A circus came to the city when I was young, and I watched as one of the colorful men juggled without touching any of the balls. Another man set them afire, but still the balls maintained their perfect balance and juggled effortlessly. While everyone was clapped and cheered, I watched the movement of his hands, the way his eyes darted back and forth, the whispering of his lips as he laced words of magic into the air. And so I learned his trick."

"How'd he do it?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"A magician never reveals her secrets," Lux giggled. The assassin sighed that she had walked into that one. "But go on. Try throwing at these discs." Before she finished her statement, one shattered into pieces. Katarina wore a smug grin and expertly flipped a dagger in her hand. "What? That is all it takes to make you satisfied?" Another disc rose to replace its fallen sister.

"And what do you get out of this?" the Noxian asked carefully. Their eyes met, and she remembered vividly the last time they had locked together. The mage's eyes had held an intense fire formed in the heat of their battle, but now they twinkled with untold amusement. Curiosity once again washed over her as she tried to decipher the puzzle of Lux the Demacian. Was she mocking her, she wondered, but somehow that did not seem correct. A sharp flash of insight warned her that in the time it took her to think all these frivolous thoughts, a true assassin could have silenced her thoughts forever. Yet even that warning chipped away as she stared into the sparkling, beautiful eyes.

"Focusing on keeping the discs at a constant rotation at a specific angle with a certain speed while juggling, for I shall do so shortly, takes far more concentration and power than beating up some wooden dummy," she answered with a smile. "Care to help me?"

_Thwack!_ Pieces of clay tumbled to the grass. "How about we say we're just helping ourselves?"

"How very diplomatic of you. I accept!" Lux laughed again. One by one, discs fell to the ground defeated only to be replaced. The two anticipated the other's actions and fell into a deep rhythm. Katarina picked up speed as she threw her daggers, and Lux matched her pace as she already began lifting the next disc before the first was destroyed. Katarina flung a knife into the empty air only to hit the substitute. For many long moments, the continual crashing sounds ensued as her perfect accuracy nailed each of Lux's targets. The assassin threw her weapon to the usual location, but it sailed far into the air across the training grounds.

"What the hell was that about?" she growled before reconsidering. She glanced at the mage to gauge her reaction to the snap but found her to be unfazed by the aggression.

"I ran out of discs. I was about to tell you, but you already threw it. My dearest apologies."

"Make up for it next time," Katarina deadpanned, and she blinked in moderate shock. She quickly looked to Lux to find her expression mirrored on her face. She had indeed said it aloud.

"I will be training in the daylight tomorrow to recover from tonight's exercises. But the night after I will return, and I would be more than happy to make up for my mistake," she answered and bowed her head slightly. She picked her baton up from the ground and made her way to the building.

"I didn't really mean to say that, though," the assassin called to the leaving mage, and she tried her best to make it sound whole-hearted.

"I will see you in two nights!" her voice rang merrily.

As the Noxian watched the Demacian disappear into the shadows, she wondered what prompted her to say those words. Perhaps all the mentions of "next time" in regards to battling had caught up with her tongue. or perhaps she had truly meant it. She sighed once more and began the task of retrieving her daggers to distract her from her bubbling thoughts. Thankfully, the moonlight was strong enough to shine off the edge of the blades, allowing her an easier time with the task. As she stooped over to pick one up, a shadow fell over her form. She bolted several feet to the side and turned to face her attacker. The man laughed with cold amusement. "You _are _growing weak. You would have noticed my presence long before and held a dagger to my throat. And here we are, the crippled man of all people holding the surprise."

"I am not growing weak," she spat. "Just getting a better judgment of my enemy."

"How spirited of you," Swain mocked. "You are not here for pleasantries, Sinister Blade. Noxus wants total domination of the League. They will not understand the desertion of your mission for pursuit of a friendship, least of all with a Demacian. Garen is one thing, for everyone knows he's your plaything. It is approved how you have him wrapped around your fingers. It can be turned to a benefit. But I did not work this hard to get where we both are today just to watch you throw it away with your stupidity."

"Your hard work? You mean my father's hard work," she curtly replied, and a brief flash of irritation crosses Swain's face that she did not miss.

"Yes, your father's work. That is what I meant. But budding a relation with a Demacian would undo all of that work... your father's work. If we were to go to war with Demacia, she could sway you if you were placed against her. Even now, you're spending far too much time in your head and not enough time in the present. She's like a festering wound, that girl. You're weak enough as it is. It would be wise to clean it up before it gets worse."

"We were training. I am stronger at hitting moving tar-."

"But in your mind, you are weaker!" he silenced her, and his eyes, along with his faithful servant's, grew red. "Nature allows only the strongest to survive. If you receive assistance, you must not have been strong enough to survive. There is no such thing as friendship, and you should keep better guard of yourself around her, lest she crack you open and leave you defenseless." Katarina was too stunned to reply, but he pressed on. "It is the highest honor to serve as one of Noxus's champions and your duty. 'Forever strong' is your motto, and don't you _dare_ forget this! I do not care how you accomplish it, but rid your life of that girl before you fall from their good graces."

"...I understand, sir."


	7. Secrets

She curled up under the soft sheets and hid her head under the pillow in defeat. She replayed the events of the other night and still could not come up with a reason. Lux was certain that the assassin had wanted to train together again. She herself had suggested the idea, saving her once again the trouble of easing it into the conversation, and her eyes seemed sincere. And yet she did not join Lux that night, nor any night for the following week. Each time, she had sat on a wooden training dummy and scanned the grounds for signs of a presence, but each search resulted in the same way. The grounds stayed disappointingly silent. The woman sighed and sunk further into the bed. She resigned to waiting again tomorrow night. Once again, she reminded herself that connections are stronger over the course time rather than a flurry of events in a short burst. What she needed was a lasting bond. The thoughts in her head began to swirl slower with each rotation until they were nearly at a stand still. Lux's breathing reflected her thoughts, and the blessing of sleep kissed her eyes closed. She descended further and further in the world of dreams, but a faint noise from outside disrupted her motions. She paused, waiting for the sound again, but heard nothing. Again, she continued the journey, but once more, she heard the noise. With a yawn, her mind returned to itself usual clockwork churning. _What is that sound?_

She heard it a third time, muffled by the distance and walls. _Thud._ She sprang to her feet, as if sleep had not graced her just moments ago, and poked her head to the window, her breath leaving a foggy circle beneath her pressed nose. The half moon shined with grace and revealed a lone figure on the practice grounds. Excitement swelled up inside her, and she dressed herself for training before slipping outside as quickly as she could. She feared that the trainer would be gone before she arrived, but even more so did she fear the disappointment if the person remained but was not who she had hoped.

She quietly closed the door behind her and walked out onto the field. The figure still continued to hit a practice dummy. Flushed with anticipation, Lux crept closer to get a better glimpse. The wind sent shivers through her body, but she knew that as soon as she began her exercises, her blood would warm enough to block out the tendrils of cold. She was only half a lane's worth away from the trainer before all motion came to a halt. She did not wish to alarm, so she took another step towards the dummies. A glint of silver flashed from the figure, and Lux's instinct tucked her knees into a roll. Something flew by her ear with only a hair's breadth of a miss. As she rose and brushed herself off, she noticed a dagger planted a pace or two in front of where her feet had been moments before. The intention had been to scare, not harm. "Go the hell back to your room," Katarina said, her voice carried by the wind. "I would like to finally fucking practice in peace."

"Nothing is stopping you from training. In fact, I would like to make up for screwing up our last session together," Lux cheerfully replied. She walked a few paces closer to the dummies.

"You can make up for it by leaving," came the harsh command, halting Lux's advance.

"There's no harm in training together. It strengthens you just as much as me, so no one is receiving an advantage," Lux reasoned, but the Noxian shook her head.

"I have to be alone," the assassin insisted, drawing her words out. "And there is no such thing as silence when your mouth lurks about." Lux opened her mouth to speak but something about those words clamped it shut. Perhaps it was just strange wording and intonation. She thought she was reading too deeply, but her steel trap of a mind refused to release the idea. Something was amiss.

"Oh, I see. You are embarrassed to have an audience," Lux taunted, carefully laying down a dialogue for Katarina.

"Why else would I practice in the shadows?" came the response. Her voice had a slight overtone of sarcasm, but there was an underlying sense of caution.

"I did not know Noxians were so self-conscious."

"Only when given reason." _'Only when being watched.'_ Lux subtly nodded her understanding before launching into a showy display.

"How pitiful! A fearful champion. No wonder you need training!" she shouted with disdain, but her eyes shined. For a heartbeat, she saw the assassin's lips tug into a grin before wiping it away with a fierce scowl.

"If you're too busy running that damn mouth of yours, it's a wonder you ever know what to do in battle! Don't they teach you any amount of discipline in Demacia?"

"Your discipline seems rather terrible if you are wasting your time arguing with me," she childishly countered.

"Your brother didn't say that last night."

"How dare you!" she said, lacing her words with mock defiance and irritation. "I leave you to these dummies. There is surely somewhere in the forest I can practice without running into the likes of you anymore. I am done trying to be polite and peaceful with your kind. We will see whose training benefited the most next time on the Fields of Justice!" Lux stormed off the grounds and headed into the forest. In reality, Lux prayed that whoever else had listened was satisfied with the supposed conclusion. A bird called from above, and Lux took a glance over her head. A raven soared the skies around the training grounds behind her. If Lux needed any more confirmation, Swain's guardian definitely gave it to her. She left signs of her path that only a tracker would notice, then selected a tree to wait in. She could have climbed the trunk, of course, but she wanted to be hidden quickly in case eyes sought her from above. With a few waves of her hands and a mumble of a cantrip, her body rose in the air and gently placed her on the widest branch. Lux stretched and allowed her foot to dangle off the edge, a position that gave her the most comfort. It would be a long while before the assassin would join, if at all.

Another caw from the scout came further away this time, but Lux checked that she was concealed well enough. Her thoughts soon drifted to the raven and its owner. _Was it possible he had guessed?_ she wondered. Her mind doubted the idea, for he would have told Katarina, and yet she still responded well to her presence. The woman could hide many things from preying eyes, but shielding her anger was not one of her strengths. However, it is possible he suspected, and it donned on her why: there was no other champion that received as much attention from her as Katarina did. She then realized what a grateful thing it was that she openly stated a challenge. Now she could befriend other champions and "move on" from the Noxian. Her previous actions would no longer look suspicious, and it would allow Swain and anyone else he might have informed to drop their guard again. She sighed with relief._ Fate does watch out for children and fools_, she thought.

The hairs on her neck stood up, but it was not because of the cold. Lux scooted two hand's lengths down the branch to have a better vantage point of her surroundings, but her scouting revealed nothing. She focused her ears and still yielded nothing. Her instincts, however, told her she had missed something. "I was not followed," a voice whispered, and the owner's breath tickled the inside her ear with its closeness. Training controlled her fearful reaction, but she overrode the following command for her muscles to attack. Her clam visage remained unbroken all the while.

"I am grateful you chose to join me tonight," Lux replied and angled her body to look at the assassin crouched behind her. It somewhat unnerved her how silent the Noxian could be to have appeared in between her own body and the trunk of the tree she had just been leaning against, but she did her best to hide the feeling away. She made a note to never underestimate the woman again.

"I'm grateful you understood," Katarina returned with even tones.

"Is that why you have been actively avoiding me? You fear someone is watching you?" Lux asked innocently. She determined by the sight of the raven the answer already, but she was curious about the Noxian's willingness to impart information. It was perhaps too early to attempt anything like that, but there was no harm in trying.

"I don't fear. I know."

"Does this mean we will not train together again? It was rather fun last time, and let us not forget it brought us a challenge in comparison to our usual and mundane way of practicing."

"I think it would be better if we don't anymore. In fact, we shouldn't ever meet for any reason."

"You came to tell me that? You could have just told me those words earlier. And here I thought you wanted to see me," she pouted playfully, changing the conversation in her favor.

"Truth be told, I don't know why I didn't," the assassin replied earnestly. It would have been far easier to have taken that route and be done with the matter then and there. But she did not.

"It is a strange time indeed when someone does not want to see me," Lux teased, and the assassin lightly batted the air in front of the light mage's face. Katarina leaned to get a better vantage point and was surprised when a moderately-powered punch connected with her shoulder. Her hands instantly reached for the hilts of her short swords as she readied herself for the unknown. "That was for the comment about Garen," Lux said brightly. "Make another joke like that and you will pay with your life."

The assassin shook her head as she sheathed her weapons. "Don't tempt me with that offer, because I would really enjoy watching you try." And indeed, she knew she would enjoy the scene for even she was unsure of who would be the true victor. Perhaps that was what drew her to Lux. Maybe she had found at long last an opponent worthy of being her equal. She longed to cross swords with the light mage again, even if was strictly recreational, but the spectacle would undoubtedly bring about too much attention, primarily from Swain.

"I promise I will give you a fighting chance because of our friendship," Lux returned with a mischievous wink.

Katarina nearly choked on her own spit. "Friendship?" _No! This was all wrong! _Opponents respected each other from a distance. There was no need for silly ties such as friendship to bind one another. As Swain had kindly reminded her, there was no room for friendship when survival was at stake. Lux was a Demacian above all other descriptors. It would not do well to be friends, she tried to reassure herself. _  
_

Lux fell to a seated position to one side of the branch and let her legs swing in the air. She titled her head up, and moonlight washed over her beautiful face. "Well, what else would this be called?" she asked softly and gave a radiant smile to the woman beside her. The Noxian opened and closed her mouth silently multiple times, much like a fish gasping for breath. She joined the mage and sat on the tree, though her legs stayed motionless.

"You... think we're... friends?" she slowly spoke as she searched for the correct words.

"Well, of course!" came the swift reply, followed by a merry laugh. "Why else would you tell me that you are being watched and agree to secretly meet only me in a secluded area of a forest in the dead of night?" she rattled off in a sing-song like voice, but her eyes remained glued to Katarina.

"I don't know. But this... friendship you think we have must come to an end," the Noxian replied evenly.

"Oh, come now. You managed to get away from those preying eyes well enough to visit me."

"That's not the point."

"Then why did you come here?" Lux asked for the third time, and her tone grew serious. Katarina vacantly blinked her response. She still did not have an answer for all the churning thoughts in her head. "You could have said you cannot stand my very presence and never wish to be near me again." Her hand gently reached out for a lock of hair from the woman and tousled it as she spoke. The lack of resistance proved the potential in the words to not be true. "You could have ended it earlier, but instead you are sitting beside me in a tree. Truth be told, I get the feeling that you do not want to dissolve this budding friendship as much as you say you do."

"What does it mean?" the woman whispered, and Lux looked at her curiously. Had she never experienced friendship before?

"In most cities, you make jokes, laugh together, and help one another with their troubles. What is the closest to showing friendship in Noxus?"

"Well, usually it begins with bringing the head of a hated enemy on a pike to dinner." A very long silence passed before it was dared to be broken, and it was through laughter. Pure, childish laughter pealed through the night, and it came from the assassin herself. Lux stared in awe. "That was a joke. We do those too, but perhaps not as often out in the open. The pikes at the dinner table fell out of style two and a half centuries ago when a newly-ascended ruler of Noxus was greeted by the head of his predecessor that he had ordered an assassination for. Considering that the body hadn't been found by the local authorities and suddenly the head came for a bite to eat, we'll just say the assassin in charge of the mission disappeared too," she ended with another laugh. Katarina noticed the continuing stares of the Demacian and cleared her throat. "Or that's how the story goes." She attempted to find something interesting to look at far from Lux's face.

"How did he get out of it?" Lux asked, surprising the other with her interest.

"Conveniently, that was left out of the story. The tale was mostly told to children by the fireplace before bedtime but then used to teach them as they grew older to do things themselves if they wanted it done correctly."

"Interesting mechanics. Evolving a familiar concept to bring about a new one. Brilliant..." she said, and her voice trailed as she became captive to her thoughts. Katarina stared at the light mage, taking in every detail of her face. _Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad just this once... _"Do I have something on my face?" Lux suddenly asked, shaking the assassin from her contemplation.

"Yeah, it's this weird ass blob. I think... it's supposed to be your nose," she grinned, and Lux playfully pouted again. She swatted with her left hand at the assassin's head, expecting the Noxian to block the attack, but she connected with the back of her head instead. "Oww! What the fuck?!" she cried, and a scowl replaced her earlier smile. For a fraction of a moment, Lux panicked. After all her hard work, was it all about to fall apart? She refused to allow it so without trying. Quickly, she devised a plan that even she was unsure how it would turn out, but she had no choice but to gamble.

"Oh my, my dearest apologies, Katarina! I thought- I mean, my hand - you saw-" she purposefully sputtered before sighing. "Let me take a look at it, please? It is the least I can do," she pleaded, opening her eyes wide to convey her regret. Katarina eyed the light mage cautiously but allowed the motion. It was a light smack to her head, so she did not understand why Lux was so troubled over it, nor why she was examining her head. The thought was lost immediately lost as soft fingertips felt about her hair for the injured spot. "I do not feel anything, thankfully. I was afraid I had left a knot!"_  
_

"You don't hit that hard," she remarked, but it was half-hearted as the sensation of her fingers felt... soothing? Katarina slightly leaned into her touch, surprising them both, but neither openly acknowledged it. Lux understood the fine line she was attempting to walk them through and took the bit of luck shined her way. This was often a tactic she used on men, for light touches had many times opened doors for success. But... Katarina? She wondered if she was only imagining certain details that caught her attention.

"You know, there is no harm in being my friend," she whispered and lifted her hand to play with a tuft closer to the assassin's face where her fingers could lightly graze occasionally. The Noxian closed her eyes, and a tranquil smile formed on her lips. The Demacian stared in awe for the second time that night, and she wondered if there were any others in Valoran who were ever blessed to see this face. A warmth coiled inside her chest as she watched the peaceful woman sigh contently. _Perhaps we are not so different, you and I._

A bird cooed loudly from above, shattering the moment. Katarina jolted to her feet, and her hands flew to the hilts of her swords. As it swooped overhead, Lux identified it as only a pigeon, but she realized that fact did not matter when she glanced over to Katarina. "What the fuck are you doing to me?" she asked, and her face was caught between rage and devastation, a foil to her previous expression. Before there was time for a reply, the Noxian leaped down from their perch and disappeared into the shadows.

Lux sat stunned for several moments before she sighed. She cast a small spell that delivered her to the ground with ease and headed towards the Institute. She refused to take any chances with being seen, in case the fleeing assassin had been reckless. A secret meeting would not be so secret if eyes saw both parties leaving around the same time. She quickly cast another spell, and light wrapped closely around her body, allowing her to walk unseen. Thankfully, no one else lurked through the corridors once she entered the building, allowing Lux to focus more on speed than silence. It was not long before she arrived at her door and quietly closed it behind her. Another mumble dropped the illusion, and Lux collapsed in bed. It began to seem that her bed was her only true friend, for no matter how long she was away, it always welcomed her back warmly. The night had not ended too terribly, she assessed upon reflection. The night's events provided a necessary stepping stone to further forge their bond down the road in addition to the other interesting information she had gathered about the Sinister Blade. While Lux hated to take such painstakingly slow efforts, they would be justified in the end. She clutched the sheets to face and fell asleep.


	8. The Mirror

Freezing metal pressed against Lux's throat, and the icy tendrils shocked her from a restless dream. Her old master's favorite pearl was "Act now, and save the pansy shit for vodka nights." Training swallowed her swelling panic and thrust her senses into overdrive to seek answers. Her eyes remained closed, and she kept her breathing shallow to hide under the guise of sleeping. A heavy breath that did not belong to her hovered near her head, but Lux could hear no other sounds. Her assailant came alone. She silently cursed that she had loosely listened to Havien that no one would dare to attack one another on the Institute's grounds and so had not kept a weapon under her pillow. Her instructor would flay the skin from her bones if he knew how terribly she had slipped up. For the first time in her life, she was completely at the mercy of someone else. For once, she was not in control. Several excruciatingly slow moments passed with no movement, but the razor-sharp edge remained against her neck. Her would-be attacker had doubts about this course of action. As she began to formulate a plan to capitalize on the discovery, quiet words came from the shadows. "What the fuck have you done to me?" the intruder whispered, and she recognized the voice, a haunting contrast to the last time she had heard it. Every detail she had acquired about the Sinister Blade flooded her mind as she sought a desperate way out.

Lux pretended to stir from slumber, groggily mumbling "Katarina?" She tried to sit up and fake a stretch, but the dagger pressed forcefully to keep her in place. "Wh-what is going on?" she stuttered.

"I asked you a fucking question. What. The fuck. Have you. Done. To me?" the assassin repeated, and her tone gave away the mounting fury beneath her calm. Her fiery hair was in complete disarray, and mounds beneath her eyes revealed she had not yet slept. Lux absorbed the information as quickly as she could, but she could not make sense of it. _What had gone wrong?_

"I-I do not understand. I returned to my room after we parted ways and fell asleep," she sputtered and hoped her vulnerability could act as an imaginary shield for it was the only option left to her.

"I should have been able to do it. Just flick my wrist and watch you bleed. Watch the light fade from your little eyes as you left this world. But I couldn't. I fucking couldn't," Katarina ranted, and her volume steadily built up.

"I thought we got along well enough. I do not understand," Lux stammered. She prayed that coaxing the Noxian to talk would calm her down enough to steer control of the situation again. They both knew that before Lux could cast any magic, that dagger would do its job.

The Sinister Blade laughed. It was not the usual, condescending one she used to intimidate her foes on the Fields, nor was it the beautiful one she had heard earlier that night. No, this one sounded... broken. It was the kind of laugh one makes when they ran out of choices. "You don't get it, do you?" she said, her voice returning to a shivering whisper. "Never have I been so weak before in my life. I spend more time thinking about your words and actions than paying attention to what's around me. The slightest distraction is the difference between life and death, and you are the greatest distraction I have ever encounter. You've made me disgusting! Soft!" she suddenly hissed, spittle landing on Lux's forehead. "I was warned that you were trouble, that your pretty words would rob me of my strength, but you charmed me to come closer still. You are Demacian scum hoping to cripple Noxus at all costs, and I refuse to allow it to start with me!" Lux held her breath in shock. _Could it be that they had guessed?_

"Maybe war is not the answer we need," she cautiously commented. "Too many lives are at stake to come to such an end."

"Are you really that fucking stupid? We are destined to war with each other. Only one can truly rule once the other is eradicated."

"We both know that if you were going to kill me, I would have never wakened from that dream," Lux replied, drawing a furious glare from the Noxian. "Not wanting to kill me does not make you weak. Being kind to someone does not make you soft. On the battlefield, that is one thing, but when fight is over, it is okay. I only fill your mind because I am a new concept. When you first learned a new technique, did you not spend hours trying to perfect it or reflecting on how you could improve? Your thoughts swirled about it. From what you have said, friendship is a new concept, so it is only natural to be curious. Soon enough, I will fade to the back of your thoughts, so there is no reason we cannot be friends."

"Friends? There the Demacian bitch goes again, spouting those pretty little words. You really _don't_ understand. You can't trust anyone more than yourself because that's how you die. You have acquaintances, you have contacts, you have guests. You never have friends. You'll rely on them, and they'll fail you. If you want something done right, you go fucking do it yourself! 'Forever strong' is our motto for a reason. If you needed assistance, then you were too weak to begin with. The strong survive, and the weak's bones are left behind in our wake."

"Surely two people are stronger than one," she hopelessly tried to rationalize.

"I work alone, and that's how it's supposed to be," the assassin returned. For a heartbeat, Lux thought she saw Katarina's eyes water, but a blink restored the fire. "When you're alone, you're always alert. You sleep lightly because you have to keep watch over yourself every night. You have to act now and not ask questions ever. To walk silent, you must walk alone. You lose the adrenaline that keeps your reflexes ready when you rely on someone else. Your thoughts become clouded when there is someone else to always attend to. They are your weakness."

"...I see," she said after a pause.

"You think you understand now? How cute," she said, and again sounded that vacant laugh.

"I think I do, Katarina, and I think that is why you stayed close to me at all," Lux risked and prayed her bold statement would not be her last.

"I stayed close because you've cast some spell over me. You slipped into my mind and fucked with it. You soothed me with pretty words. I should cut out your tongue."

"I did not cast anything. I only wished to be your friend. You are not spellbound by me, but instead you are bound by your loneliness."

"Loneliness? Don't you dare assume you know!" The knife bore down a little harder, but the light mage leaned her head back to expose her neck vulnerably. The Noxian watched her with a perplexed face, but the fury remained. Another chance was given and still she did not go for the final movement. A distorted sense of hope gave Lux the courage to speak once more.

"You must always be on guard and set an example because you are the icon for your city," she stated somberly, and immediately the woman locked eyes with her. "You must carry around the weight and responsibility that your actions will always reflect your home. You are their prized champion. You cannot simply recite the motto. You have to breathe it!" As she continued speaking, it suddenly occurred to her how similar they truly were, and before she could stop it, she was speaking just as much to Katarina as she was admitting her own life.

"Get the hell out of my mind, witch," Katarina hissed again.

"You are the daughter of the great general Du Couteau. As a woman, you had to prove yourself over and over as competent to those above, around, and even those under you. You could not show emotion, for that would prove you were too delicate and unstable for the simplest job they offered. The highest you ever achieved in any of your pursuits is what they expected of you every time beyond that. Should you fall just below, they assumed you were lazy or perhaps incapable. A little too nice, and your were a ditz or a slut. A bit too reserved? An ice queen, but it certainly meant less attention of that variety."

"Just stop."

"Everyone else could fail, but that was not an option for you. You had to prove to them you belonged, that you were right for the job, that you were not capable of weakness. You needed them to fear you to listen. It is why you strike from the shadows. You need to keep them on their toes. A hard exterior blocks away the pain, but it isolates you, and no one can save you then."

"Stop talking," she whispered, then compensated by putting more force on the dagger again. Lux gently placed her hand on the one wielding the weapon to her neck.

"The pressure to be you... I feel it every day." Water gleamed down her cheek, but Lux refused to hide them. Too long had those words been buried to take it all back. "I do not assume I know your life. I only know that your suffering mirrors my own."

"No one can ever know. These feelings... they are signs of weakness." With her other hand, Lux slowly reached up, and her fingers lightly grazed Katarina's cheek. At the touch, the blade twitched and sliced skin over the hollow of her throat, drawing tiny beads of blood. Lux bit her lip to keep from clenching or making a sound. The knife stayed against her neck but did not dig in again. If she had wanted Lux dead, she had been given multiple opportunities and still had not taken them. She reached again for her cheek, and this time held it.

"I do not care what anyone else has to say, but to have survived as long as we have, we surely are stronger than they could possibly know. And you, to have come so far without any help, demonstrates just how powerful you are." A warm drop of liquid splashed on her arm, followed by a few more. The woman tried to wipe away the evidence, but Lux knew the truth. "Do not listen to them, Katarina."

"Why the hell can't I just kill you?" she whimpered. "All my problems could just end with you.."

"Because I'm the only one who sees you for you, and by the gods are you bloody tired of pretending," she answered and dropped all sense of formality. Katarina swayed for a breath's moment before she suddenly crumbled. Her knees gave out, and she slid to the floor in sobs. Lux picked up the forgotten dagger and placed it on her nightstand for safety. She rolled off the mattress and sat beside the breaking assassin. "Come here," Lux whispered in her ear. "It's okay, come here."

Katarina allowed her guard to finally drop and leaned into Lux's embrace. For the first time in the Noxian's life, she allowed herself to be truly human in front of another. Years of training rang warning bells in her mind to cease action, but she questioned them all. What gains could there be by going at it alone? Was it the pride of showing off to all how long you could stand the loneliness without cracking? Was it the paranoia of betrayal that childhood stores had instilled? Or was it the fear of rejection, that no one would truly accept you if they knew the things you had done? So many questions popped up, and she found so very few answers. Tear after tear streamed down her face, but Lux run her hand through the despondent woman's hair, trying to be a calm force to draw upon. Could her beloved city's standards be... wrong? Immediately at the thought, she panicked at her wavering devotion to Noxus and her ways. "Why am I so goddamn weak?" she asked in between huffs, hoping someone, anyone, could save her from her decision. If the Noxian way was wrong, what did that mean?

"You're not weak," Lux soothingly replied and cradled the woman closer. "It takes someone strong to know when to ask for help."

_Strong to seek others? _How could this line of thinking possibly be true in the face of her childhood ideals? Her fingertips delicately traced around the open wound at the base of Lux's throat, seeking a distraction from her whirlpool of her mind. "What have I done to you?" she whispered barely above her own breath, and she doubted the light mage had even heard. She withdrew to examine the little patches of blood she had wiped away. The moon's light poured from the prism window above and glittered off the crimson with horrifying beauty to the fallen assassin. "Blood for Noxus" was always something to bring pride to her, but this did not seem right. Lux had smiled in the face of her lashing out, after all she had done to her, and still she sought to comfort her, holding her tightly. Disgust and shame stung her eyes once more, and Katarina broke into another round of sobs. The Demacian had no reason to show her such kindness, nor could she gain anything, and yet here she was with her warmth. They both could not be wrong, Lux and Noxus, for they sat on opposing sides, but which was the truth?

"It'll be alright," Lux cooed softly. She felt arms encircle her small frame, and they held that pose as the sobbing continued fiercely. "I promise it's okay now. It's safe here, I swear it."

_Safety? _The word was almost an antonym when paired with the presence of another. Could the Demacian finally grant her the safe haven she had longed for? At the thought, each of Katarina's successive breaths came quicker than the last until she was gasping for air fruitlessly. Lux hesitated, but then pushed her against the bed frame to straighten her body and airways. "Please, follow the sound of my voice and listen to me. I want you to breath in until I tell you to stop then slowly exhale, okay? Breath in," Lux began and mirrored the motion, held it, and then told her released it. Katarina desperately tried to catch Lux's instructions and follow them, but everything seemed so distant. It was as if she was trying to run through deep water. Everything was in slow-motion, and the world began to spin. All sound was garbled, and she felt so tired. She could not even breathe on her own. HOw weak she had become, she lamented. If she could just close her eyes for a moment... "Stay with me, damnit!" Lux yelled as she shook the red-head awake. Katarina's body shuddered as she took her first real breath. "That's right, Kat." Through Lux's continuous coaching, the woman's tiny, shaky breaths slowed and grew deeper. She held her knees to her chin as she concentrated on evening her still unsteady breathing.

"Do you think you'll be alright?" Lux asked, and she allowed the worry to etch lines in her brow. There was no sense in hiding it. Katarina nodded slightly. "Thank goodness," she said as she wrapped her arms around the woman beside her. A silence fell on the room as the two breathed quietly in unison.

"Why did you even bother?" she asked, her voice muffled by Lux's shoulder. "I wanted to torture you until you_ begged_ me for death. Cut out your tongue for the things you said. Slowly peel the skin from your bones to see what made you tick. Look at what I already did to you. You had absolutely no reason to give a shit. I don't understand. It goes against everything Noxus stands for."

"Maybe we should take with a grain of salt what our cities have taught us. There may be truth somewhere to be found in their teachings, but they can't all be true. They tell us that Noxians don't have a respect for life and thus should be removed before they destroy us all. And yet, here I am. Do you still want to kill me?"

"No... No, I don't. You weren't the one I wanted to kill, but rather my weakness. I viewed you as the manifestation of it, but I don't think that's quite right. I... suppose I should thank you. I probably would have died there." She relaxed her body and released her knees, though she kept them up. Her head leaned against the bed again. "What a stupidass way to bite the dust, huh?"

"Yeah. 'The Sinister Blade Chokes to Death.' What a great headline to read." The atmosphere lightened for a moment as they shared a distracting laugh, but Lux grew serious once more. "Have you always hyperventilated when you cry too hard?"

"Never. Then again, I never cried like that before. Or cried ever, actually."

"You've never cried before?" she asked incredulously, and her eyes widened with sincerity.

"Wasn't ever allowed to. My father beat that 'disgusting habit' out of me. Showing weakness was showing Noxus wasn't strong. I forced myself to never be weak. If I wasn't, then what was there to show? Then you had to go and fuck it up," she ended grimly, but attempted a half-grin.

"I'm glad someone was with you when you had your first sobfest," Lux joked.

"I'm glad _you_ were there for my first sobfest. Anyone else, I think it would have gotten messy."

"My pleasure. Next time, though, we can do without being held at knife-point, right?"

"Where would the fun in that be?" she chuckled. "I... am sorry for how I acted tonight. There are many things I never considered before, most of which were flaws in with Noxian ideals. We are never supposed to question her, yet... some good points were brought up. I still don't know what to make of this."

"There are some things that I have come to disagree with Demacia about as well, but it doesn't mean I love her any less," Lux said, drawing Katarina's attention once more. "There will always be points that I can't follow her with, but I will still defend her with my life. I don't know if it's enough, but I refuse to completely turn against her. Perhaps you could find a way to temper the Noxian way with your own beliefs?"

"...Perhaps."

"Maybe we can find the path together," Lux beamed, but her words sobered up her companion.

"I suppose there's no denying that. But how can we stay friends?" she asked, and Lux's shoulders sagged at the thought. "I can't be seen with you anymore. I've been warned to... ignore you, shall we say."

"You mean the person who was watching us earlier?"

"Yes. That person would probably push for my execution if he found out that not only had I failed to assassinate a target like you, which could give Demacia righteous grounds to declare war on us, but that I disobeyed a direct order and questioned Noxus herself. To breathe a word of proest is enough for treason. And this man... his greatest paranoia is with concerns to loyalty, and disobeying, no matter how trivial, means you are no longer loyal. I've personally removed threats for him." She shuddered as she considered the possibilities.

"Then what he doesn't know won't hurt him, or you," Lux playfully chimed. "You sneaked out of his gaze twice already tonight. Come by every so often like tonight. Only leave your killing urges at the door. I need my beauty rest, after all."

"I'll say," Katarina deadpanned, and Lux scowled playfully. "I'll see what I can do. though. I can't guarantee when I'd drop in or for how long. But... it maybe would be nice to see you again." Their eyes meet once more, and this time they both smiled. "Also, it's adorable listening to you curse," she teased, desperately seeking an outlet for the mounting tension. "I hope that if I stick around long enough, you'll talk like a sailor coming in for a drink at a bar."

"I curse only when it's necessary!" she defended and drew another laugh from her friend.

Katarina rose to her feet and grabbed her weapon from the nightstand. The weapon was then sheathed, and, as an afterthought, she leaned down and delicately kissed the crown of Lux's head. "Thank you, Lux. Get back to your beauty sleep. Valoran knows you desperately need it," she whispered before she vanished into the shadows.

The Demacian sat against the bed frame and held her head in her hands. The moon's arc came to end and began its descent. Lux sat in the rainbow's light, but her mood would not rise. _What have I done? _she asked herself and tried to rationalize that between life and death, life was the better option regardless of its stipulations. But she could imagine the reactions to her report. Maybe she would leave out the part where she saved the Noxian's life. A pang of shame smacked her as she realized she was considering covering up her actions from her superiors. She dismissed the idea and decided to weave the story to be more in her benefit. If Katarina had suffocated beside her bed, that would have raised too many questions that would have interfered with her task, not to mention the ramifications for Demacia. Not only that, but it would secure her a closer connection with the assassin. She tried to silence the tiny voice in the back of her head that wanted to protect her new-found friend, but not too harshly. To play her role perfectly, she had to believe every word of it. The weary woman sighed and climbed to her feet. She opened a compartment in her desk and retrieved her quill. She had to record all the night's details before she forgot.


	9. Letters

_**A/N: Two mini-chapters together. The scenes were too short to run on their own. Stretching them out just came out icky every time.**_

* * *

Blowing lightly on the parchment, she tried to hurry the drying of the signature. While the sensual pleasures were almost always worth the extra time spent waiting, this was that one occasion where Lux felt annoyed with her indulgences. A few more moments were spent to complete the process, and then quickly she rolled it up. With one hand, she pulled on a spool of white ribbon and flicked her other wrist to use sharpened light to snip off a reasonable length. A few words were mumbled, and the ribbon tied itself over the letter and placed its seal upon it. The magic prevented handlers from simply slipping the message out from its binding, and only the person it was address to could read its contents. Should it be intercepted somehow and untied by another, the magic would siphon the ink and turn both the ribbon attached and her personal spool black. For most spells of extraction, the ribbon would retaliate by spitting ink at the caster's face, a personal touch of the light mage. Concentration did not come easy when one is irritated and cannot see very well. She recited the incantation, and the parchment rose from her hands and disappeared into a portal of light.

"I'll admit that's impressive," an expected voice came from behind. Lux was astounded she had been too distracted to have not heard anyone enter her room.

"Welcome back," she greeted charmingly as she whirled around and hugged her friend. Katarina, though used to the exchange by now, still stiffly returned the gesture with one hand. It had been several weeks since they began their secret meetings. At first, Lux thought that maybe Swain had caught on to the events of that night, but one afternoon the assassin stepped out of her way to bump into her. After a very flashy shouting match to convince viewers of their hatred, the Noxian gave a subtle nod and walked away. That same night Lux found the assassin in her room, eager to spend quality time with her. Though the sign was not always as obvious as the first one, Katarina would always alert Lux when she had the time for a visit. Of course, she was always cautious and stirred up trouble with other champions as usual to keep their scenes under the radar. The two withdrew from the embrace and sprawled out in the rainbows created by the broken moonlight, as they did every time they met. Lux lay on her stomach, her feet in the air and her head resting on her arms, while Katarina sat against the bed frame with her knees up to her chin, much like an innocent child.

"What was that spell you cast when I came in?" she asked, and a wave of relief washed over Lux. She had sent it away just in time.

"Oh, I was sending a letter to my mother. She hasn't stopped worrying about me since I left Demacia, so I like to send her a message every now and then to ease her mind. To be honest, she's one of the reasons I left for the League, but you won't tell her that, right?" Lux giggled, and Katarina returned with a half-hearted smirk but kept her gaze to the floor. The light mage took notice of her friend's behavior and knew that something was amiss. "You've got something weighing on your mind," she commented. "I won't make you tell me, but I want you to know that you've got, not one, but two available ears for you whenever you want 'em."

"I know, Lux. But this is different. I don't know if I can talk to you about this." The woman sighed.

"Are you alright? Did something happen to you?" she gently prodded.

"Nothing happened to me, but... I'm not okay," she admitted.

"Is it that person who's been watching us?" After all the time they had spent together, Katarina still refused to name Swain as the one snooping. Lux understood the motives, but it meant she had to continue to tred carefully with her and not drop his name herself.

"No. I don't think he knows. He may vaguely suspect, but it's not enough to come forward and bitch about it again."

"That's fortunate," she commented. After a brief lull in the conversation, she knew she had to keep the assassin talking. "This will probably be a hard question but... did my home do something to yours?" she asked and closed her eyes tightly. She was almost surprised when a small part of her actually dreaded the answer, but she welcomed the response. It would aid her in her role to play it to perfection.

"I'm pretty sure Demacia's hands are clean of this matter," she replied, and Lux sighed thankfully. "In fact, I have a damn good feeling I know whose hands were involved."

"Do you need help finding these people?" the words escaped before Lux could stop them, but she let them stand. Katarina's gaze lifted to meet hers, and for the first time that night, she smiled warmly.

"Probably, but I don't want to involve you. It's difficultbecause you're Demacian," she struggled. "Is... is there a chance we can talk but it stays between us?"

"Of course!" Lux exclaimed. "I promise." A twinge of guilt resounded in the back of her mind as she spoke the half-truth. She promised there was a chance, not that she would not tell. Once more, she reminded herself that one of the basic rules was that in order to have others believe your words, you yourself must believe them. She allowed the guilty voice to mumble quietly in the far corner and returned her attention in front.

The assassin took in a deep breath, preparing herself to speak. Her mouth opened to speak but instead whistled out the air she had held before a full exhale. "Sorry. I-"

"I can see this is something that's really bothering you. Take your time." A silence fell as Katarina tried to form her thoughts. Her hand unconsciously clenched around the hilt of her blade every now and then, but Lux gathered enough to know that the motion was not directed at her. Perhaps, instead, to those who had hands in the troubling matter. And indeed, Katarina faced a dilemma once more as her loyalties to Noxus were threatened by Lux's friendship. Perhaps if the light mage had been a Noxian herself it would have been much easier, but by all technicalities, she was the enemy. She had still not fully come to terms with her questions of the Noxian way, and so she had trouble telling what was truly right and wrong. But Lux, dear Lux, had been beside her these last few weeks, showing her the truth of friendship. If she could not trust Lux, then who _could_ she trust?

"My father is missing," she finally said. While training had done much for Lux over the years, her jaw still slackened and her mouth fell agape.

"What?" she mouthed, but no sound came forth. It was of little consequence because the bubbling thoughts inside Katarina's mind were finally surfacing.

"Well, they say missing. But they found his pocket watch in shitty condition. I won't lie and say he was my favorite person in the world, but... he was my father. He taught me how to hold my first knife and how to use it. He trained me until he didn't have the time anymore and sent me to an instructor to continue. He brought glory to the name Du Couteau. He was a capable man, and I got my thorough enjoyment of violence from him. Lux, I fear that he's not just missing but... dead," she concluded, then slumped back against the bed.

"I- I can't believe it," Lux stammered. "Who the hell could have done this?" Katarina briefly stared at the light mage as she was still growing accustomed to hearing swear words from those lips but then continued with the topic at hand.

"Before he left, my father gave one of my sisters a note. It gave the location and time of the meeting that he ran off to, and his watch stopped fifteen minutes afterwards."

"I think I now share your suspicions."

"As for the hands covered in filth... there was a stamp of a black flower to sign the letter. A rose, in fact."

"This is supposed to mean something important, isn't it?" Lux guessed.

Katarina paused for a moment to collect her thoughts again. She had already divulged this much of the matter, so she found no reason to hold back the rest. "There's a secret underground organization that used to have a hand in the way things ran in Noxus. They called themselves the Black Rose. I thought they disbanded a long time ago when certain events left them forgotten, but it appears that not everyone forgot them."

"That's eerie. How do you know that it isn't someone posing as them to cover their crimes?" she asked, and Katarina blinked several times her reply. Once more she found herself looking at her new friend from a different light, but that was one of the things she had come to enjoy about the mage. There was always something new to discover. She was not some boring, one-dimensional person but instead mysterious and exciting, as her views were always differing from her own. There was much Lux had to teach her, and she willingly soaked up the lessons eagerly. "To throw off the scent?" she offered.

"While that'd be something to look into, one of the new champions that's arrived-"

"Do you mean that serious Ionian girl with the strange flying weapon? I wish I knew how she can control it. I've always wanted to watch her closely because it would be so cool to learn the spell-"

"No," Katarina interrupted. "The other woman who came shortly after you did."

"Oh, the one with the...um, interesting wardrobe and make-up?" Lux politely covered. Interesting was possibly a far kinder word than what Lux would have used. The woman looked like a macabre clown with the amount of make she encased her face with, and her clothes revealed far more skin that Lux would have ever been comfortable with.

"Yes. That one. She's the reported leader of the Black Rose, Leblanc." This time, Lux managed to keep her jaw clenched. She had heard the name before the arrival of the champion, but only an inkling at that. She knew the woman was dangerous and was as gifted in the art of deception as much as she was, if not more, but she had disappeared in recent years. A rumor spread that perhaps she had passed away, but she could clearly dismiss the claim.

"Interesting," she reiterated.

"Her appearance can't be a coincidence, can it?"

"I doubt it, but don't jump into it yet, Katarina. You don't have any solid proof," she said, and her words drew an annoyed glare from the assassin. "For all you know, her joining the Institute may have been a direct counter to the accusation. She may want to come here to clear her name along with her group."

"Then why did she do this a month _before_ my father disappeared?" The revelation brought a heavy silence upon the pair.

"I've got nothing, but I can look into it for you!" she cheerfully answered, much to both of their surprise. After a moment's thought, Lux surmised that perhaps it would not be that bad of an idea to probed into the matter further, but saying that it would be for Katarina sounded sweet.

"Look into it for me?" Katarina asked, one eyebrow raised with intrigue.

"I don't ask how you slice and dice," she said with a sly grin. "But maybe it's a good thing to have ties to other cities. I'll see if anyone at home knows something to share with you."

"You really are a great friend," the assassin smiled. She reached for Lux's hand and gave it a tiny squeeze. "Thank you."

"Thanks for talking to me. It makes me feel useful," the light mage replied and returned the gesture.

When the visitor soon after vanished into the shadows, Lux opened her desk to write a second letter for the night, a revision to her report sent not too long ago. The was much to inform them of that night. A major player of Noxus has disappeared, and chaos within their ranks was soon to follow. If there was ever a time for Demacia to launch an attack, it ought to be soon while Noxus was still in disarray. The tiny, guilty voice asked her if she was positive of betraying Katarina so terribly all the while.

* * *

A soft yet purposeful series of knocks at the door roused Lux from her sleep. Upon opening her eyes, the faint amount of light in the room revealed that it was just before dawn's first light. Still groggy from her visitor's late stay, she hoped that perhaps the sound came from her dream. She turned on her side and pulled the covers back up to her chin. And if it was not a dream, surely it could wait until breakfast (or lunch). The knocks came again with a bit more force behind them. Lux sighed and rose to a sitting position. "The door is unlocked, so please feel free to join me. You must forgive my appearance, however," she warned and prayed that the knocker had not caught her accidental overtones of irritation. Garen entered the room and quietly closed the door behind him. He had donned his full battle armor and carried a brown leather bag about his broad shoulders. Lux instantly wiped the traces of sleep from her eyes and sat straighter. "Where the hell are you going?" Lux's hand flew to her mouth in shock. Katarina's presence was taking its toll already.

"What did I just hear?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, I am sorry! So many of the summoners and champions around here swear constantly, and I suppose it is beginning to catch on to me. My dearest apologies, brother. I meant to ask you about your travels, for it seems you are geared for the road."

"Do try to not let those words become a habit, for Demacia's sake. And did you not receive your own summons?"

"Summons? I have received no letter that I am to report anywhere today other than the Fields of Justice."

"I see. Perhaps they think you will serve better here at the Institute," he mused.

"I do not understand. What-" she yawned deeply. "Excuse me, Garen. Now, what are you talking about? Please tell me."

He sat in his usual spot, the white velvet armchair, before answering. "I have received orders to serve Demacia's army once more as her captain."

"Orders? What on earth for?" she asked innocently, for not even Garen was to know of her involvement in the matters behind the scenes.

"We have received an intelligence report somehow that General Du Couteau has disappeared and is most likely dead. Noxus is in a great dishevel trying to restore order, and surely people are grasping for the available power. Our leaders think now in their moments of chaos is the time to strike, once and for all. Valoran would be a much safer place without the scum. I am to march a battalion near Morgon's Pass and ambush an encampment of Noxians settled there. They are the back-up soldiers. It is not unusual for them to not have communication for some time with the generals, so no one will notice at first. Should anyone question it, we will undoubtedly reply in the same fashion Noxus used to alleviate their part in the DSS Excursion and state that we know nothing."

"I see," Lux replied calmly, but her head was reeling. When she had written that the opportunity should be taken soon, she had not meant within hours! Panic began to course through her veins, and she almost forgot how to keep an even breathing pace. "And you set out for this today?" she squeaked and winced at her voice betraying her.

"Fear not, Lux," he said soothingly. "This is what I have trained to do since I could hold a sword. I leave today for Demacia, then will lead the troops out. I stopped here because I thought we would travel together, but it appears that having both icons leaving at the same time would be too suspcious. They must want you to continue to do Demacia justice here."

"I bet they do," she returned, fighting to keep her words steady. She was thankful that Garen assumed the easiest explanation of her worries and feared for his well-being. Her eyes looked over her brother carefully, absorbing every detail. The disquiet and chaos of her thoughts stopped their rippling effects and became still like the surface of a pond. She could not afford to fail, she reminded herself as she met his gaze. Demacia required it so. She pushed back the covers and rose to her feet. "I wish you the strength to defeat your foes and the courage to stand strong. But most of all, I wish you good luck, not that I think you need it though." The woman barely had to lean down to hug his neck, and he returned the gesture. "I'm sorry about our last meeting. I was out of line how I brought up the topic."

"I have had time to reflect, and... perhaps we should visit the topic again. We will talk more upon my return. You have my word. Now stop fretting over me like a mother hen," he playfully chided as he stood to his towering height. "I love you, Lux."

"And I love you, Garen. Safe travels."

"Safe endeavors." He headed to the door, and his long strides carried him quickly. "Oh, I almost forgot. Word has it that you get into fights with Katarina occasionally. I will hope this means you have shaken off the idea that you can befriend her, but it does not mean you should go out of your way to antagonize her."

"I swear, she starts it every time!" Lux defended. "Everyone sees that she goes out of her way to do it too."

"Good. Let the dogs show the world how childish their champions are! In the times you do have control over the situation, do strive to stay away from her."

"I will serve Demacia the best I can, brother," she answered vaguely before Garen left the room.


	10. Dissonance pt 1

_**A/N: Dedicated to Rilora.**_

* * *

Her fork shifted the scrambled eggs to the furthest edge of her plate only to slowly poke it back into place. The toast had small nibbles near the center, and her water lay in an untouched glass. Her mind whirled and churned restlessly, but her body was too weary to keep up for much longer. She had not slept since Garen left the previous morning. No matter how strongly she felt her exhaustion, Lux could not close her eyes. For the first time in many years, she felt like a fly wiggling for freedom from sticky threads as several legs crawled down the web. Her mission was established with clarity, and both she and her superiors knew the painstaking details and motions that had to be put into the operation. They even banked on her ability to whittle away defenses, even if that meant sacrificing some of her own. But now came the time to capitalize on all the hours of work. The guilty voice in her head had steadily gained volume over the hours and begged her to change her course. Again, she allowed it to speak freely because the role was still needed.

As if reading her mind, Katarina's elbow collided loudly with the back of her head. A tiny scrap of paper fell into Lux's lap, and she immediately covered it with the palm of her hand. "Huh. I kept forgetting how fucking monstrous your head is," she said with harsh tones. Lux turned around in her seat to catch a brief glimpse of a sparkle in the Noxian's eyes before settling into the usual snarl.

"I constantly need to remind myself how fantastic your vocabulary is. I wish I could have attended the prized academy that was graced by your presence."

"While it's a shame no one as damn fine as me will ever walk through the halls again, I doubt you'd get through the front door. The archway wasn't built big enough for a head full of as much as air yours."

"Break it up, you two! I'm not dealing with this today! I have an exam in an hour!" an authoritative voice commanded. Lux noticed a robed man sitting back down at the table of summoners with multiple tomes and scrolls opened before him.

"We shall discuss this on the Fields, then," Lux concluded.

"To the Fields, bitch." The assassin walked to the other side of the room to find a seat. Lux cleaned up her table and quickly left for her room, rushing passed Havien, who tried to catch her eye. Only once she had closed the bedroom door behind her did she open her hand. The scrap had balled up in her attempt to conceal it, but the writing was not smudged. _First._ Lux read the paper a few times before flipping it over. No other words had been written. _What could that possibly mean?_ she wondered. Katarina stopped by to alert her that she would have company that night, so clearly this message was related to the usual system. _But 'first?'_ She played through every memory she had of Katarina. They officially first met on the Twisted Treeline, but that would be nearly impossible to get to without anyone else being involved. While Lux was confident she could still manipulate Havien, she was afraid of the cost of such a favor. Her body shuddered in disgust. She then thought of their first moderately friendly conversation on the training grounds, but she knew Swain had eyes everywhere. And that is when it hit her. Their first real meeting. It was one of Lux's most precious memories. She praised Katarina's cunning. No one else would have been able to find meaning in her note, even if either of them had been caught holding it.

She caved into her desire to indulge herself for a moment. As she played the scene from the tree again in her mind, warmth curled up in her chest. _The peace still lingers after all this time,_ she realized joyfully. She watched as she stroked Katarina's hair, and the woman leaned into her. A quiet voice mumbled words she could not make out. She tried to listen harder, but the memory of their harmony hinder her desire to pay attention. The muttering came louder, but still she could not hear over the soothing waves of calm brought on by the scene. The voice gained sudden clarity, and everything came to a halt. The perfect picture was erased, and the warmth dissipated. A tear rolled down her cheek before she regained control of all her emotions.

_Do not forget your mission._

* * *

She sat on the same thick branch where they had secretly met for the first time and patiently waited. She did not know when her friend would finally arrived, so she took a comfortable position for her vigil. Her body was still and her face held a calm expression, but her mind was a stark comparison. A fleeting thought wondered if she was being set-up, but Katarina was the one always running to her. While the possibility remained that both she and Swain were working together, she felt moderately confident that the idea was only a paranoid feeling given her current situation. She sighed quietly, but it did little to quell the churning.

"I'm grateful you chose to join me tonight," a voice whispered in her ear, mirroring words Lux herself had once said. Lux visibly jumped, and the motion was not lost on either of them. "Are you alright?" Katarina asked worriedly.

"Oh, yes. I was lost in thought. No worries. And I'm always happy to see you, friend," she cheerfully deflected, but it did not seem to be enough for the woman.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Why we're meeting here instead of in the secrecy of my room, like we usually do," she carefully guided the conversation. "Don't get me wrong. I love to sneak out to watch the stars, but I'm curious why the sudden change."

Katarina took a seat beside her, much like the last time they had visited this place. She breathed in deeply before continuing. Her continuous debate of the Noxian way had grown quieter as she took Lux's words to heart and attempted to balance those ideals with her actual beliefs. She knew that revealing too much would possibly compromise Noxus, but she refused to leave Lux out in the cold after all the time they had spent together. "I'm going to have to leave the League for a while," she said, drawing a shocked look from the light mage.

"Where are you going and how long? I'll miss you!" Lux exclaimed. It surprised her that her first motivation for her words was out of sadness. Only as a reaction did her calculating thoughts take its place. It was possible that by now Noxus was responding to Garen's unit. There was also the chance that Noxus was mobilizing anyway. Her stomach knotted itself.

"I'll miss you too," Katarina admitted, and the woman smiled warmly, though it was tempered by the news. Lux matched the expression with ease, though only externally. "I don't know how long I'll be gone. I don't want to go over details that may bother you, so let's just leave it at I have shit to do."

"I see," she somberly replied. "It would seem that Demacia and Noxus just can't get along."

"Do you... have to leave the Institute soon too?" Katarina asked and tried to sound casual, but Lux caught the undercurrent of panic in her voice. It stunned her that the assassin thought they were close enough to worry about facing each other in future battles. The gentle voice in the back of her mind swelled and guilted her over her course, and this time Lux silenced it harshly. Things were difficult enough to handle as it was.

"No. I get to stay at the beck and call of the summoners. I'm still a favorite, and they'd miss me too much. When do you set out for the road?" she asked.

"Tonight," came the answer, and it hung in the air. Lux's heart froze for several beats, for that one word meant several different things to her. Tonight her dearest friend would leave her side. Tonight was the finalization of the war. Tonight needed her success.

"Tonight," Lux repeated and cast her gaze to the distant ground below. "I guess it makes sense why you wanted to meet here. Were you planning on leaving after saying goodbye?"

"I toyed with the idea of going without letting you know. Thought it would probably be better for you, all things considered," the assassin said, her voice trailing off towards the end. "But I didn't feel it was right. I wanted to see you one last time."

Lux clamped her mouth shut as words formed in her mind. _You should have done just that,_ she had almost warned. Once more, she hushed the kind voice pleading for her to give up, for it was far too late to go back now. "I would have been so sad if you left without saying goodbye first," she honestly replied.

"I have to be gone before dawn, but I wanted to take a little while to be with you." Katarina sighed quietly. "I don't know how our friendship will look after tonight."

"It will be as dusty or sparkling as we make it. It's our effort that will best tested."

"But how will you feel if I killed your mother? Your brother? Your best friends?"

"_You_ are my best friend," she whispered, and the assassin blinked multiple times before recovering.

"I can't be your best friend. Surely you've-"

"You're my only friend, Katarina. No one bothered to be my friend. As a child, I had to be a lady and drink tea with my mother's friends. I had to be family's trophy daughter," Lux spat. Part of her feared she would jeopardize the mission, but the thoughts were pouring out of her mouth with too much force to stop them. "I thought that when I showed them my magical abilities that they'd relax, for I had ways to make them proud as Garen had. Instead, I was sent away to an academy with people much older than me that had no time because of their own studies. And if they did noticed me, it was through the eyes of jealousy. No one cared that I was just a kid. The professors loved my intelligence but didn't want me attached to it. There was one man who stopped long enough to see me, but our time was very short. I graduated early and was eventually recruited into the League, where I finally met you. You, my one and only friend." Lux lifted her head up to stare at the stars through the canopy of leaves. She hoped the sight would distract her long enough to hold back the tears. "You, who sees me," she whispered. How ironic, she thought, that the very person who finally saw her for the human she was would be the one person she needed to betray.

"What about Garen?" her friend asked quietly. It took everything in the light mage to not laugh madly.

"He's a fool. I love him dearly, and I know that he would have done things differently if he had known. But we don't have the chance anymore. I have to clean up after him. Even at home, I'd take away his dinner plate once he finished. I hoped that if I was perfect enough, he'd notice me. If I could be useful to him, he'd come back for me..." Lux caught herself and pressed her lips together. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling about shit you don't need to hear."

"No, it's fine. I've always wanted to know more about you but was too afraid to ask."

"Ask me anything," Lux offered before she could think further. She cursed her emotions for getting the best of her, but it was too late to take the words back. She reasoned that she had earned this reprieve at the very least and was determined to enjoy herself. "But on the condition you stay just a bit longer with me. Even if the view's not that great, I've always wanted to stargaze with you." The corner of Katarina's corner tugged up into a one-sided grin.

"That sounds too much of a win-win situation to me."

"Then you better run with it before I change my mind."

"Oh no. You don't get off that easily," she laughed beautifully. Lux felt her heart contract painfully. "Hmm. How about we start with why you wanted to be my friend." Her mind raced as it tried to collect itself long enough to spit out a comprehensible answer.

"It's not like I wanted to be your friend in the beginning. I was curious about the infamous Sinister Blade, and then when we battled on Summoner's Rift... I had never felt more alive. I felt challenged." She shifted her gaze to the woman beside her. It was the most honest reply she could give.

"I didn't care if you were Demacian. I just didn't want the battle to end. You challenged me both physically and mentally. I was fascinated by you."

"And I you. I didn't care if you were Noxian. You're the kind of opponent one hopes to meet but may never get to. And from that moment, I was drawn to you. That's why I felt no shame in helping you train. In fact, I felt it was out of my honor that I had to help you."

"I wondered why you truly were joining me," she grinned. The conversation lulled as their heads turned to the sky. A chilling wind blew through the tree, signaling the fast approach of winter. Their bodies naturally gravitated to the other's warmth as they huddled closer to block out the cold. They sat shoulder to shoulder in peaceful silence as the stars shined brightly on them.

"Can I ask a question about you?" Lux asked, but her voice did not break the calm.

"On the condition that you keep stargazing with me."

"That sounds like too much of a win-win," she said, mirroring earlier words. "Did you ever figure out what stayed your hand that night?"

Katarina's eyes darkened as she relived the events of the night. "I think there are multiple sides to this, and I'm not even sure I've figured them all out. The warrior in me found it disgusting that I would use an underhanded method to be rid of you, considering how much I enjoyed our match. I felt that if you were to die by my hand, it should have been on the Field."

"So you respected me and my abilities."

"Yes. I respected you, though I didn't know the words for it. Then there's the... the lonely part of me that longed to be your friend." Lux gently placed her hand on the one near hers and gave it a tiny squeeze.

"You have me now," she said and flashed her best smile. In one fluid motion, Katarina twisted her body to better face Lux and threw her arms around her neck. The light mage fought back tears for the second time that night as she returned the embrace tightly. She no longer had the strength to make her doubts stop talking, and guilt washed over her like a crippling wave of sickness. "You have me now," she repeated.

As the two began to release the other, the assassin lingered near Lux's ear a bit longer. "Thank you," she whispered. She leaned in a hair closer and lightly brushed against her lips with her own. Lux's body became rigid in her grasp. This was not part of the plan, and she panicked. She had thought perhaps her previous manipulations had met success only due to Katarina's naivety of the meaning of friendship, but the realization crystallized immediately. Before she had a chance to choose her next course of action, Katarina retreated in horror as the realization struck her of what she had done. "Shit. Oh, shit. I didn't mean to do that." The light mage could only blink as she stared blankly ahead. The assassin curled up with her knees to her chest for a fleeting moment before leaping to her feet. "I should probably get going now," she stated hastily and climbed to the branch below.

"Don't go yet," Lux pleaded after recovering.

"It's better for both of us if I head out," she returned as she descended another level.

"But I'm not ready to let you go. Please don't leave me!"

"You're not sickened by me?" asked a bewildered Katarina.

"Demacia set my standards high," Lux attempted to cut through the tension. "Please don't leave, Kat." In the blink of an eye, Katarina's form returned next to Lux's, startling her.

"You don't think I'm... unnatural?" Katarina's eyes locked with her own, and she could see a world of hidden pain reflecting in the moonlight. Lux understood in a breath's time that the word had not been tossed around lightly at home. How long had she carried this burden? She suddenly wondered what the true story behind the scar across her eye was.

"I can see how it could be unsettling to someone else," she stalled.

"I don't care about anyone else. I need to know that my mistake won't cost me our friendship."

"No," Lux said quickly. "I mean, if you're looking for forgiveness, you have it." Katarina's face considerably eased in response, and the guilty voice bellowed in her head. She silenced it with the notion that there was no reason that their last encounter need be strained by sorrow, and so she went along with the unfolding events. "I'm not entirely certain how I feel about this, however. I..."

"Never kissed a girl?" Katarina supplied, and Lux merely nodded. "Neither have I, but I would be lying if I said the thought had never occurred to me." And so, Lux came to an impasse. While it had not exactly been a rare occurrence, Lux had sometimes turned up the strength of her charms to acquired the necessary information or plant the seed of an idea, but each of those situations had been with men. With her recent discovery, however, she had no idea how best to tread. She recalled the times the two of them had shared over recent weeks and regretted how little she had given in return to the Noxian. Perhaps, for her sake, she could at least give her some harmless joy in her life...

"I'd be lying as well if I said the thought had never occurred to me about you," she flirted, and Katarina's mouth fell ajar. "I was too nervous to ever tell you because I felt that I'd be taking advantage of you. You had only just learned what friendship was. I... didn't want to confuse you," she said, and she was moderately surprised at the believability of her quick thinking.

Katarina's hand gently stroked Lux's cheek. "How incredibly unfortunate I have to leave," she lamented.

"Do you really have to go now? Can't we just have tonight?" Lux whispered._ Tonight_. The word echoed painfully in Lux's mind, but she was determined to bring at least a small bit of happiness to her closest friend. Not needing any more prodding, Katarina slowly closed the gap, and her lips gently pressed against Lux's. A delicate hand slid up her shoulder and cradled the back of the Noxian's head, and she flushed at the unexpected sensation. A chill danced down her spine as her flesh erupted in goosebumps from the touch of cool fingertips. She closed her eyes and let the anxiety wash away. _How could this be unnatural?_ She placed an arm around the small of Lux's back and a hand under her chin. She tenderly guided her closer, and Lux easily acquiesced, turning her body to better face the woman beside her. But she pulled her head away for a moment, drawing a confused look from her friend.

"Am... I going too fast?" Katarina asked awkwardly.

"No. I just needed to catch my breath," she lied with a dazzling smile, and the Noxian returned the expression. In actuality, she pulled away not for her breath but rather because of the incredible confusion. She found herself... enjoying it. Initially, she had decided to go through with the action as an apology of sorts for not giving her friend more, but now... She leaned in for another kiss, and Katarina held her face with both hands, keeping her from leaving anymore. Lux reassured her by placing her hand at the nape of her neck again. They chained together a series of kisses, lips sweetly brushing and playfully teasing. Much to Katarina's surprise, Lux's hand pulled her head closer to deepen a kiss, and she gladly obliged and sunk into the bliss that was their connection. Perhaps all along, Lux had lied to herself about why she had truly saved the Sinister Blade that night, but she found it impossible to deny now.

She allowed the scene to continue, soaking in every touch, every smell,every breath, but Lux knew it was time. She could not indulge any longer or she would be lost to her nearly overwhelming desires to abort the mission. There was more riding on her success than her wishes. Her mind disengaged from the pleasure and blocked out the voice begging her to choose herself for just this once and throw Demacia's bullshit to the wind. But duty called strongly with flashes of her family. It was time. The first step was retrieving it from her boot without the assassin noticing. Magic tendrils wrapped around its base and slid it out with ease. She directed it behind Katarina's head and held it there as she tried to determine the next step. Her friend sighed softly mid-kiss, drawing nearly all of her attention back to the woman. How she wanted to hear that again! she thought with much sorrow. The kissing broke off as Katarina pulled back a hand's length. "I'm not making you do something you don't want to, am I? You seem... distant."

Lux smiled disarmingly. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the concept that my beautiful best friend is turning into something more."

"I'm trying to grasp it too," she smiled and leaned in for another brief kiss. "I'm so grateful I can share this with you. I love you." Katarina's mouth fell agape as the words tumbled out, but rather than shying away, a look of acceptance formed across her face. It took everything in Lux to not only keep control of the magic but control of herself. She longed to blurt it all out, but she knew there was no way she could be forgiven now. It was unforgivable.

"I love you too, Kat," she replied and wished with all her heart that this moment could last forever. Katarina's face lit up with radiant joy and descended upon her lips once more. Choking back the sobs threatening to break through, Lux manipulated the tendrils and slashed the dagger through the assassin's spine.


	11. Dissonance pt 2

The woman's body shuddered in shock. Not wishing to reveal herself, Lux forced her gaze above Katarina's head. "Behind you!" she shrieked. The Sinister Blade tried to whirl around, but she found her lower limbs unable to cooperate to her will. Her balance shifted over the edge, and she tumbled to the ground, hitting several branches on the way down before the final leg of the descent. A sickening thud signaling the end of her fall echoed through the now silent forest.

Lux froze for an eternity before shifting her gaze to the form below. _What have you done?_ She fumbled with words and gestures, but soon her body floated down beside the fallen assassin. Hands searched frantically for a pulse unsuccessfully. Below the jaw, the underside of her wrist, the inside of her upper arm. Nothing. She lay a hand over the heart and felt its faint and slowing beats. A wave of relief washed over her before the dark implications settled in. For the first time in her life, she had failed. She had failed her family and her people. Her superiors. She looked at the helpless and battered body at her feet. _Who says I failed? I could finish it right here, and no one would ever know._ With only a mental incantation, the dagger materialized in her hand, and the blood on the blade shimmered in the moonlight. Her sight returned to the woman. Her family watched from every shadow, and her orders rang clearly as if they had just been spoken. Her people begged her to end the war before more suffered. The furious glare Garen had given her when she tried to warn him haunted her. She held the dagger a few hand length's above the weakly beating heart of the Noxian. The woman's face no longer held the radiant joy from several breaths ago. Lux had stolen that precious moment. Memories flooded her mind with late night talks, the sound of her laugh, their duel, their kiss...

_The warrior in me found it disgusting that I would use an underhanded method to be rid of you..._

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her honor had been buried deeply within to give her a chance of completing the mission, but it finally surfaced. She twisted her wrists about in the air, and the dagger disappeared, returned to a locked drawer of her night stand. She pulled Katarina's head in her lap and cradled it as she continued to break. "Kat, please wake up. Please tell me if you can hear me," she whispered, lightly shaking her target, her friend. There was no response of any kind, and Lux tried her best to control the sharp intakes of her breaths. _Was there not be a way we could be together?_ she wondered bitterly. The exact order had been to eliminate Katarina so that she would never make an appearance in the war. She knew that her dagger had sliced between vertebrae. Perhaps her inability to serve would be good enough. She could come up with a reasonable excuse later, but she had to save her friend - or rather, more-than-a-friend friend - before the damage was too great to overcome.

Lux rose to her feet and wiped her tears away on her arms. She reached down and pulled with all her might, but Katarina's dead weight was too much for her to handle on her own. A series of curses flew from her mouth that would have made the Noxian proud, and her heart painfully contracted at the passing thought. She wished she was strong like Garen for a fleeting moment, but a better idea replaced it. Altering a few words in the incantation, Katarina's body levitated from the ground. While she could not effortlessly move her about like the practice discs from the training grounds, she could at least eliminate the weight when the body was suspended in mid-air. After a few trial tugs, she was convinced that she could carry her friend. Lux grasped the assassin's arm and waved about her hand in the air. The light bent around the two women, hiding them from preying eyes.

The journey was sluggish as she dragged the floating body, but silence was a requirement. The trees were beginning to die in the cycle of life, and their crisped and browned leaves covered the ground. While Lux was certain of their invisibility, she could not muffle their sounds. If anyone discovered them, the results would be beyond disastrous. The building that was the Institute eventually crept into sight, giving Lux minor hope. It was not much longer before they actually entered the facility. Rather than letting her guard down, Lux's senses intensified. This was the most dangerous part of her recovery mission. Each step was painfully slow as she sought full control of her muscles. She refused to give anyone reason to get out of bed for curiosity's sake. Hallways passed at an agonizing pace, but soon she came to the door she needed. Soft candle light glowed under the crack, revealing its occupant to be wide awake. Without a knock, for others would hear, Lux turned the knob which was thankfully unlocked and entered. She was certain that she had not made a sound, but occupant of the room stiffened as the door closed. "Please show yourself. You would not be here unless my help was needed," the woman said to the empty air. She turned her body in the chair to face the center of the room. "I do not have to see to know that you are there."

Lux dropped the illusion from herself and her charge. The woman's face remained stoic at the reveal but she stood to prepare a place for Katarina. "Soraka, please help me," Lux whispered.

"Place her on the bed," the Starchild commanded, and Lux obeyed without question. "Do you know the extent of her damage? What was the underlying cause of the wounds?"

The light mage refused to make eye contact. "She fell from a tree. I know that she encountered multiple branches on her way before she made impact with the ground." Soraka's eyes bore intensely into Lux's face, seeking more answers.

"You know more than you tell," the Ionian stated perceptively.

"Do you need to know to care for her?"

"Quite possibly."

"You are good with secrets, right?" Lux asked after a long pause. Soraka nodded her reply. "I think someone tried to kill Katarina."

"How do you know?" Soraka's eyes narrowed.

Lux resisted the feeling to shrink underneath the gaze. "We have been friends for a while now, even though our cities are supposed to be sworn enemies, and we have been meeting in secret to keep our friendship alive. Tonight, we met to star gaze as it is a beautiful clean sky out tonight. As we sat and talked, I saw something from the corner of my eye, and I tried to warn her. The figure stabbed her in the back, and she fell to the ground. My sight was glued to her plummet, but upon searching, the figure had vanished. I wanted to chase after the assassin and seek revenge, but I knew she needed immediate care." Lying to her was far easier than lying to Katarina. Mixing truth into her words made the lie rolling off her tongue even smoother.

"I understand, and I will not mention your hand in her arrival here to anyone if that will ease your mind. For now, I would advise you stepping out. The sights may not be to your liking."

"I do not wish to leave her. I want to help in whatever way I can."

"You have helped by bringing her to me when you did. Should you have chosen pursuit instead, she may have bled to death. If you refuse to leave, however, then please take the seat I was using before your appearance. I must warn you once more of what may come." Lux grimly nodded. Without another word, the Starchild chanted an incantation as she fetched the various supplies she thought she would need. A soft yellow light outlined her body and pulsed in rhythm with the flow of syllables. The healer turned her patient onto her side and slipped off the bloodied leather top to expose her back. Though she braced herself for the view, Lux still released an audible gasp when she saw the deep pit of crimson dribbling beads on to the bed surrounded by the other scrapes and cuts marring otherwise flawless skin. She realized that no matter what happened, the skin would never completely heal, just like around Katarina's eye. The scars would serve as a reminder of what she had done. Tears welded in her eyes again. "Do not fear, Luxanna. Your friend will survive," Soraka said, and her ethereal voice was layered with multiple tones.

The Starchild continued undressing the assassin to examine the rest of the injuries. Several ribs were cracked from the journey down. The right hip bone was shattered as it was possibly the first to hit upon the final impact. The knees had suffered immense shock damage and would need attention as well. All those could be healed with extra effort, she surmised. An upper arm was stripped of the first layer of flesh and covered in splinters, and Soraka guessed they were from rolling off the branches with such force. If she began healing now, the splinters and dirt would be caught in the skin. "Do you still wish to help?" she asked the mage.

"I will do anything," Lux begged.

"I cannot drop my concentration of this spell for another when she is in desperate need for time. I have heard you have an uncanny talent for learning magic. Perhaps you have something that can remove the thorns and splinters from her arms? If the skin heals over them, they will be trapped within her body, causing further harm."

"Would it be alright if I summoned an orb of light? I need to see better."

"Of course. I will begin straightening her legs." A flick of her wrist conjured a ball of light, revealing the work area in much detail. Lux swallowed her thoughts to focus on Katarina. There was no time to wallow in misery. She began extracting each individual thorn with thin wisps of magic, but the process was grueling. Precision was needed for tiny objects, and never had it occurred to her that she should have practiced her magic on such a minute level like this. The pulsating light suddenly grew brighter, and Katarina's body jerked away as she moaned in pain. Lux glanced at Soraka to see her switching to the other knee. "She is reacting to me, not you. The fact that she is reacting in any way is a good sign. Fear not," the healer soothed. After the Starchild finished, she examined Lux's work. "Thank you. I believe I can have the rest." Lux snapped her fingers to disperse her orb before sitting back down.

The Starchild reached for a warm, wet cloth and gently brushed away the dirt from the wounds. When the skin had been cleansed, Soraka's chanting came faster, and the entire room was bathed in the mysterious golden rays. Lux remembered the stories she had heard of the Ionian healing her allies from across the Fields of Justice with a simple wish to the stars above. They had all mentioned the very same light, and so she wondered that if the rumors of her incredible healing powers in battle were true, how powerful must she be without the League's interference. She could only hope and watch carefully as the healer placed her hands about the assassin's now glowing body, and the light wrapped around her softly. Invisible threads knitted the skin on the arms back together and left a thin pink line for its seam. The Starchild's voice grew in volume, and her hands guided the healing waves to the hip bone and torso. Katarina groaned and shuddered again in response as her rib cage inflated, and she winced as her hip bone reformed. A bead of sweat dripped down Soraka's temple, but she was not finished yet. The incantation reached its climax, and the golden light poured into the gaping wound of the assassin's back. Katarina screamed in agony, but the healer's trance could not be broken. Several loud crackling sounds overwhelmed the chanting, and Lux knew that the spinal cord was aligned. The light dissipated, and Soraka's brow was covered in sweat.

"That is all I can do for the night. I need rest to continue my work, but your friend will survive. The blade severed through the nerves, tissue, muscles, and the cord itself. Healing tissue and skin is easy, but her spine will need more attention."

"Will she be able to move again?" Lux asked hesitantly.

"Certainly, but not at first. The nerves that form will be brand new, as well as the surrounding muscles and that portion of the spinal cord. She will be much like the newborn babe as she searches for control and understanding. That is _after_ she has healed enough to where her movements will not tear the mended flesh."

"How long until she is mobile again? I would like to speak with her, but visiting would be too obvious of an effort when we are supposed to be enemies in these times."

"It depends on the strength of her will, but even then she will be confined to the bed for quite some time. Regrowth of bones always takes the body time to become accustomed. The pain alone will keep her bedridden for days. I cannot begin to imagine what regrowing such sensitive nerves must feel like. We should be grateful that she had no internal bleeding, and I did not notice any damage to her organs. Surprising given the circumstances. As for your other concerns, if you wish, I can discover that the night air does wonders for my health and take a stroll around midnight or so."

"Be sure to not lock the door or you will be left out until morning."

"An excellent idea. Sleeping without a bed is not the most refreshing method. And you seem as if you have not slept in too long. You should head to bed as well."

"All of your efforts will not go unnoticed. I appreciate it very much. Sleep well." Lux bowed before vanishing into her illusion. Sneaking down the hallways was much easier this time around. She arrived in her room several wings later and leaned against the door. A sigh escaped her lips. Whether it was out of relief or remorse, she had no idea. While she was still in control of her thoughts, she sat before her desk and scribbled away on a fresh parchment her report.

_"11 December, 20 CLE. The Sinister Blade stills lives, despite my best efforts. However, her injuries will keep her bedridden for weeks even with the aid of the Starchild. As far as our endeavors are concerned, she is paralyzed and will not be joining the Noxian forces in the near future. I salvaged the situation, and she is not aware that I inflicted her wounds. I understand that the implications of your order heavily suggested outright elimination of the target, but perhaps I can better serve with a steady supply of information. She is a well-spring of knowledge and can perhaps give us vital pieces that can further our efforts. I await further instructions." _She included more information about other situations she had caught during her stay at the Institute. Once the ink dried, she sealed it with the magical white ribbon and sent her letter away into a portal of light. Only then did her emotions overtake control of her movements, and she collapsed in her bed, shaking with tears.


	12. Selfless

Lux jolted awake, her head snapping up to scan her surroundings. One bed far to the right was tucked under the window with starlight falling on an empty pillow. Another with a motionless form lay on the opposing side of the room. Her own body sat in a desk chair pulled up beside the second bed. Wax slowly dripped down the sides of the only candle lighting the room. She sighed when she recognized the location as the Starchild's bedroom. She grabbed a fresh cloth and dipped it in the magical bowl of water Soraka had left her. The bowl was enchanted to keep the water chilled until sunrise, but only if it stayed within. Katarina's fever was on the verge of breaking, but that still meant continuously changing the cloth cooling her forehead. The Starchild had said that while she had nearly completed the healing required for her patient, it was still up to Katarina to accept the changes. This was the most difficult phase, but it was a natural reaction to the new bones that suddenly formed within her. The body would first view the replaced bones and tissues as foreigners invading and seek to destroy. Only time could convince it otherwise. Katarina groaned softly as the fresh cloth dabbed gently around her temple. As Lux mirrored the motion on the other side, she wondered how much longer the woman would lie like this. Two long nights had passed since her arrival, and still she had not opened her eyes. Soraka had assured her that Katarina would survive, but still Lux felt anxious. She dipped the cloth again in the bowl and placed it across the assassin's brow.

While the silence was agonizing as she waited for her friend, Lux's mind buzzed and took her deep into her thoughts to map out the next possible move. The Starchild had shown a great dedication to her discipline of being the Institute's healer. She had not only taken in a patient after hours and spent all of her energy in healing when possible, but she had also taken in a Noxian. A Noxian whose father had more of less started the occupation of Ionia, Soraka's homeland. Knowing who her charge was, the Starchild still welcomed Katarina and even swore to keep to knowledge of their hidden friendship to herself. Lux wished there was a way to repay the kindness as she had implied, but it would have to be on her own. Demacia could not be involved in the debts so soon after she had failed her attempt on Soraka's patient. It would raise... some unwanted questions.

To make matters worse, Katarina's absence would soon be noticed. While it was not uncommon for a champion to take a few days for themselves, Noxus had expected her arrival, and last night was the absolute latest of travels coulud have taken. It would not be much longer before she was sought by her people and demand a thorough investigation. Anxiety unconsciously released itself through the rhythmic tapping of her fingers on the wooden armrest. Only after a steady beat had been established did she realize the lack of control she had over her exterior. It unnerved her that anyone observing her could read her like an open book. Her thoughts were bubbling to the surface, and her body was reacting to them. She was being betrayed from within, and once more, she found herself no longer in control.

Another sound from her friend drew Lux back from her thoughts, but it was only just that. The woman continued to slumber. Lux checked the cloth, but it was still cool to the touch. Several minutes passed uneventfully, her eyelids began to droop once more. Her head lolled to the side, the motion shaking her from sleep's tempting caress. Primal fear surged through her mind, and she scanned the room again for changes, but as before, the room remained still. She knew both her mind and body would not last much longer without sleep, but it had been fleeting and restless since Garen's departure. Her old master would be disappointed if he saw her current state. Failing to complete a mission, forgetting the basic tenants of his teaching, and threatening the very security of Demacia by tending to her target's wounds. How far she had fallen in such a short time, but she shivered to think of how much longer it would take to hit the bottom. She resigned herself to think those thoughts no longer until she got orders from her superiors. Her actions must have caused chaos in the chambers of their meetings, she reasoned, for she had yet to receive instructions.

Katarina groaned quietly in her sleep again, unmoving, but something changed for Lux that moment. She realized that the new orders would not matter because she might have to fail them. She would do whatever it took to keep Katarina safe. She nearly laughed out loud at the ludicrous circumstances of her situation. She fell in love with a Noxian woman, and each inflection of the statement revealed a different level of absurdity. Katarina murmured once more, but it seemed to be more than just sound. Lux leaned in and placed her right ear near the woman's lips._ "Lux," _she mumbled.

"Katarina? Can you hear me? Please wake up!" she pleaded. Her friend made an undecipherable noise, but Lux's heart leaped into her mouth. It was a direct response. "That's right! Wake up. Come back to me, Kat. Please. Don't leave me here."

"Lux?" came an airy whisper.

"Yes. It's me, Lux."

"Wh-what... happened...?" The fog of her mind made it difficult to concentrate on speech. The assassin's eyelids fluttered open, but her sight was blurry. She sent the message to her brain to lift her hand to her eyes and brush away whatever was in the way. Her shoulder screamed in pain. She tried to lift herself from the bed, but she found herself unable to move. "I.. don't understand..."

"You fell from the tree and hit almost every branch on the way down. I brought you to Soraka as quickly as I could. She's been tending to you for a few nights now, but you'll need more. Your spine was severed."

"Tree...?" the woman pitifully repeated. Her jumbled memories made no sense, and her head throbbed sharply. She strained to fill the outline of the light mage with details, but her vision refused to clear. Lux picked up on the subtle cues of the woman's confusion and knew she had a choice before her. She could tell the truth and never be forgiven, or she could continue the lie she started with the healer. _Am I selfless enough?_ she wondered.

"Yes, the tree. You remember, don't you?" she stalled, hoping to let Katarina fill in the blanks herself.

"I... I don't remember... anything..."

"We met outside that night and watched the stars together?"

"Stars," Katarina said, her voice a bit stronger. "I remember stars."

"Good. We watched the stars together, and then we..." Lux bit off the end of the statement both out of embarrassment of forming words for that scene but also to see if this, too, had been forgotten. Another choice piled before her of whether she should tell Katarina what happened if her memories could not recall. _Maybe it would make telling her easier if she didn't remember that,_ she mused.

"Star gazing with you. Yes, I... I remember that now. And then..." her voice lulled for a moment as her face turned a delicate shade of pink. "And then we?" came more words, letting the unasked question hang.

"And then we," Lux confirmed. Katarina's blush deepened, and judging from the growing heat she felt in her own face, she knew she was mirroring the action. "I take it you remember that now?"

"That... really happened? It's not a dream?" The assassin's blurred sight cleared to see the face of her friend, but not much beyond. It was enough, however, to see Lux's cheeks flushed with color.

"We can say it was, if you wanted, and forget about it."

"No!" the assassin said, the volume in her voice surprising them both. "Not after I just found you," she amended, and both women knew what she meant by those words. Lux reached for the woman's hand and held it gently in her own.

"Of course," the light mage said, forcing a smile.

"Thank you," came a soft reply before Katarina sighed. "My head's killing me."

"You probably hit your head on the way down. It's a miracle you didn't die," she said, guiding the conversation to the sequences of events that followed their kiss.

"I fell from the tree...?"

"Yeah," Lux answered, afraid to give it more words.

"How did we go from kissing," Katarina slightly stumbled over the last word, "to- Oh gods!" she interrupted herself. "Someone attacked us. I... I remember now! Someone attacked me from behind. My back..."

"Yes," she agreed quietly.

"Did they hurt you too? Are you okay?" the assassin asked, and the concern watered Lux's eyes. She found the room stiffling suddenly.

"I wasn't hurt."

"So they specifically targeted me. Not only that, but they saw us together." Katarina glowed again at the thought. "Shit."

A lump formed in Lux's throat, and she tried fruitlessly to swallow it down. "You were so still," she said, and her voice was just above a whisper. "I was terrified you were already dead."

"If it wasn't for you, love, their attempt would have been successful," she replied, casually throwing in the term of endearment but watching Lux from the corner of her eyes.

Lux's heart burned and contracted painfully. How could she want to protect Katarina when she could not protect the woman from herself? She forced another radiant smile in reply to ease the woman. "Of course, but Soraka deserves your thanks far more."

"I'll do that when I see her again. Somehow." Her head straightened on the pillow, and her gaze was cast towards the ceiling. A maddening silence passed between the two as Lux's mind was thrown into a frenzy. _Would she understand...?_ She tried on multiple occasions to let the truth spill out, but her mouth only hung limply open. "I guess there's no way around it," Katarina spoke, rousing Lux from her struggle.

"No way around what?"

"The Black Rose is attempting an all-out coup."

"Wait, what?"

"The Black Rose. They killed my father, and now I'm nearly killed? Surely this is no coincidence."

"But what if, like I said, someone is using the Black Rose as a cover for their deeds? Or maybe this isn't related to your father's death?" Lux asked, hoping to steer towards the release of her mounting guilt. Maybe she could be selfless after all.

"Two Du Couteaus in a matter of days are unrelated? While I thank you for trying to think of all the possibilities, we should stick to the probable ones."

"It _is_ probable, though. What if someone is using your father's assassination to stage an attempt on you?" Her eyes glittered with not just tears threatening to break free.

"I doubt it, but we'll see. Eventually news will spread that I'm still alive, so they will have to try again. But I'll be ready next time," she replied, her tone as cold as the chilled water within the bowl.

"And knowledge is half the battle," Lux said somberly.

"Exactly. Now that I am aware, I can be on my guard more. But a more pressing matter..."

"More pressing than your pending doom?" she tried to joke, but instead her voice cords strained, forcing the words as a squeak.

"We were seen," Katarina stated, and Lux's heart sank. What had started as a small way to repay the Noxian's friendship had suddenly blossomed into more. Some part of her mind had been briefly entertained thoughts of a future, though the portion was a lot bigger than she wished to give it credit. She knew how impossible the scenario was and accepted the inevitable. That did not mean, however, that she would be happy, but then again, did she have any entitlement to be?

"I see. I understand," she replied quietly.

"No, you don't."

"It's best if we cut it off now before it blows up."

"No, Lux. That's not where I was going. We were seen. Together." Katarina paused to let the message sink in, but Lux's face remained perplexed. "The assassin saw that you were... very close with me, shall we say. The Black Rose may come after you too." A tear broke through the final barrier and escaped down Lux's face. Katarina squeezed her hand. "Why are you crying? I promise I'll let nothing happen to you." A second tear followed its sister.

"Here you are, confined to a bed after a failed attempt on your life and knowing that there will be more, and yet you're worried about me?" She wished she could be that selfless.

"It's because I almost died that I'm worried about you. I've never come so close to my own death before, and all I can think about is how much I would have regretted my life if I hadn't been with you, even for a little while."

"I-what?" Lux stammered.

"How much longer do I have to stay here?"

"Until you can effectively move. She said the blade sliced through your spinal cord. It'll take days for you to not only get over the pain but also gain control of your movements again," Lux prattled, grateful for the momentary distraction.

"It's not forever, though. So when I get out of here, I'm going to hunt down the bastard who attacked us that night. I will find him and make him pay. I won't kill him. Not right away. I would like to play with my food first. Without the surprise advantage, he can't touch me. And I will make him talk, and he will beg for death. Then I'll deal with the Black Rose. I swear on my life that I will make them pay, and I swear that I'll protect you. Please don't cry. You'll be safe."

_It is not too late to tell her!_ the kind voice pressured, but the task was impossible. She could not do it. Katarina swore to kill her. It was final. Thankfully, the woman also assumed the Black Rose agent was male, her calculating mind noticed. It would be easier for her to continue the lie, especially when Katarina was filling in the blanks for her. _That's not lying, is it?_

"You're so sweet, Kat," she said, carefully enunciating the syllables to remain in control. "I'll see if there's anyone in Demacia knows what has been happening."

"Surely between the two of us we can discover his identity. Then I'll bring him down."

"An excellent plan, my love," Lux replied, the final words tumbling out. Katarina smiled in return. "Soraka will be back any time now, and I can't be here upon her return. I'm sorry." She leaned down and kissed the woman's brow. "Sleep well."

"Sleep well, Lux." The light mage waved her hand in the air, and her element wrapped around her small body. Katarina gasped quietly as Lux disappeared from sight. A click of the doorknob locking told Katarina that she was now alone.

* * *

Lux wrote out the night's report of Katarina waking and the information she had gathered. The Noxian did not realize it was her who had been the attacker. In fact, she created a story for her, and Lux merely went along with it. Her words explored the Black Rose affair and how she would use it to her advantage to secure a spot close to the assassin. The possibility of remaining an informant was still an appealing position, if they wanted it. She signed off with a hope that her orders will come swiftly so as to start immediately. After blowing on the ink to hurry its drying, she rolled up the parchment carefully. Then she opened the compartment with the magical white ribbon, but instead of drawing a bit for use, she stared as horror filled her every pore. It suddenly made sense to her why her new instructions had taken so long.

The ribbon shined darker than polished ebony.

* * *

A knock came at the door of his chambers, distracting him from his research. "This had better be important. Enter if you must." A relatively average man in all ways approached him at his desk and bowed low to the ground before saluting.

"Sir!" he addressed.

"At ease, Captain." The man rose to his full height. "You come bearing news, I suppose?"

"Sir! We have successfully intercepted a message sent from the Institute to Demacia."

"And what does it say?"

"We do not know yet, but our men are hard at work unraveling the code."

"You came to me with nothing?"

"No, sir! I came to report that the message had a peculiar seal that magically protects the contents. It is a powerful spell. The message must be of great importance to merit such magic."

"Then stop talking to me and quicken your efforts."

"Sir!" the captain saluted again before taking his leave.

"If Demacia will fight dirty in this war, then so will we." The raven on his shoulder cawed with excitement.


	13. Compare and Contrast

It had been too late to sprint down the corridors to visit Katarina again that night, so Lux fitfully slept the rest of the hours until sunrise. Even upon early waking, she realized that it would have to be long after the moon rose to see her friend. Her love. Before she could linger on the maddening thought, she left her room for the Food Hall, hoping breakfast would distract her mind. Summoners and champions alike filled the room, buzzing around as they fought for food and seats. Lux stayed to the far corner of the hall, limiting her choices to yesterday's egg sandwich or a fresh salad. Picking the later, she sought a seat away from the others. Much was her surprised when a person sat beside her. "Well, good morning, Lux! It has been far too long."

"And good morning to you, Jordaine!" she said, placing a cheerful expressiom upon her face.

"Where have you been these last few days? I have wished to summon you for matches, but I could not get through to your mind," he said, worried etched across his brow.

"Oh, my dearest apologies, friend. I have had to take care of a few matters before resuming my duties here at the Institute." She took a small bite of lettuce.

"Nothing serious, I would hope."

"Nothing I cannot handle," Lux answered with a disarming smile. The man returned the smile two-fold. "I appreciate that you took the time to check in on me. It was sweet of you."

"Of course. Should time free up in your schedule today, I would enjoy having a match with you as my champion."

"I do not know if I will be able to, but you will be the first to know if I should!"

"Fantastic. It is a match I eagerly look forward to."

"What have we here?" a third voice intervened, and the sound caused Lux to squirm. Before she could search for the source, a powerful odor nearly knocked her from her seat. "Why, good morning, Miss Crownguard!" Havien greeted, his slimy hand rubbing her shoulder in small circles.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Jordaine sarcastically remarked.

"And who are you?" he asked, mocking innocence. "Oh, do not tell me. Though I have seen your face only a few times, it is important to remember the names of your subordinates, no? It makes them feel happy."

"I will be sure to recall that piece of advice when I am calling for you to fetch me a drink," came the cool reply.

"Come now. There is no reason for such bickering. Let us have a peaceful breakfast together," Lux calmly said, but the two men's glares did not lessen.

"Yes, Lux. Let the two of us eat in the courtyard again like we did that one time," Havien suggested, and Lux involuntarily shuddered. He still had not removed his hand from her, and it took every bit of discipline she could muster to not shy away from his touch. She was far too exhausted to keep up a consistent charade. "Oh, please hurry. It is so warm outside, and you seem to have caught a chill."

"It feels just fine to me," commented Jordaine.

"I suppose I should not be surprised that a barbarian such as yourself could not be able to tell the difference, but Lux and I have refined senses," the repugnant man countered, emphasizing the last two words by pressing harder with his thumb into her collar bone. "What a poor friend you must make to not even consider her feelings like that."

"So you are going to overlook Lux's prowess as a champion? She is much stronger than she appears, and you are diminishing her abilities like this. Stand down and allow her to decide what she wants."

"She is too polite and kind to ask you to go away, so I will take on her burden and do it myself. Leave her alone."

"You have got to be joking! Surely you can see how uncomfortable you make her. It is written clear on her face." Lux gasped quietly and focused on controlling her facial expressions. Was she that obvious?

"Poor Jordaine. Jealously is such a terrible feeling. You want my power, and you want a special friendship like I have with Lux. It must be unfortunate to be you."

"Not especially. I smell good." Lux bit her lip harshly to keep from laughing before growing serious again.

"Can we please stop fighting? There really is no reason for it," she asked, this time a bit more forcefully.

"My dearest apologies to you, Lux," Havien replied with a half bow. "You should apologize to us."

"I will apologize to Lux, for I am sorry your breakfast has been less than enjoyable, but I do not see a reason to extend the same to you. You interrupted us. You should be the one to apologize."

"Enough!" Lux yelled, electing stares from the summoners. "You are worse than mewing alley cats in heat!" Embarrassed her polite visage had dropped, she quickly disposed of her food and left the Food Hall. She darted down the corridors back to the safety of her room, but the unease still carried with her. As she approached her door, she finally noticed footsteps trailing behind her. She whirled around to see Havien following. _How had she not paid attention?_

"So this is her room..." he mumbled under his breath, but not quietly enough. Lux's stomach flipped in disgust. "My humblest apologies for the rude manner in which that fiend of a summoner treated you today, my lady. I do hope you do not think of all summoners to be like that," he implored as he took a step closer to her.

"Oh, of course not. Summoners are all so... very different from one another. It would be unfair to judge them all based on one bad apple."

"Ah, the wisdom you possess is so refreshing, Lux," he said and grinned. "It has been far too long since we have conversed. Let us talk without preying ears inside." Havien motioned to her door. Her lips pressed together in an effort to keep the bile in her mouth from escaping.

"While it would please me to talk with you again, I am afraid I have matters I must attend to. Perhaps one day soon?" she replied, forcing as much warmth into her face and voice as possible.

Havien took another step closer to her. Too close for her liking. "Can it not wait for such a good friend? I have missed you, my lady." The back of his hand unexpectedly caressed her cheek. She fought to not flinch under his touch.

"While I wish it could be so," she began and grasped his wrist to pull it away from her gently, "they are obligations that I cannot ignore, lest people become irate with me. And then I would not have much free time to converse with anyone, much less you."

The summoner sighed and dropped his hand. Lux nearly joined the sentiment, though out of relief, but had enough wits to hold off. "I suppose this is true. Though it stuns me to think that people could ever be angry at an angel such as you, I understand that you have duties you must attend to. Do come visit me when you have free time. It would please me so."

"I will try my best," she said, hoping he did not see her slight shudder.

"Good day to you, my lady Lux."

"Good day, Havien." When the man's figure had long since left her sight, she sprinted for the main office around the corner. She restrained herself from flying through the door in an effort to keep a calm image. A woman behind the counter looked up from her paper work and smiled kindly.

"Can I help you, Ms. Crownguard?"

"Yes. I would like to volunteer my services as a champion for the coming week."

"The summoners will be so happy to see you fulfill your duty! You are aware that you are, as they say, 'free game' from sunrise to sunset, yes?"

"Perfect. I need something to fill the hours here lately."

* * *

"He sounds like a fucking creep," Katarina swore, and she angrily gripped at her bed sheets as if they were the man's neck.

"That's because he is," Lux insisted.

"You should have kicked the shit out of him," she pressed and punched the air to accentuate her point. She winced in hindsight as her shoulder groaned in protest.

"You need to be more careful," she chided, and the assassin playfully stuck out her tongue in reply. Lux giggled happily. She had told Katarina of the day's events and of the less than favorable encounter at breakfast. The entire time, she feared the woman would rise from her bed and seek to throttle him. Even so, it felt good to vent about her small problems. In a way, it made her feel closer to Katarina, something she had not expected. "While I would have loved to have kicked the shit out of him, there are better ways of dealing with these matters. I will personally talk to him, in a public place, of course. And if he is still as persistent, I will ask for assistance from his superiors."

"I know you're capable and can handle yourself, but please be careful when confront him. He's a sick, twisted fuck, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I promise to be extra careful for you, love."

"Thank you," the Noxian replied with a beautiful smile. Lux's breath caught for a moment at the sight before she reciprocated. "I know you don't like being meaner than you have to, but try not to be too nice to everyone. People like Havien get the wrong impression."

"I've noticed," she mumbled. It amazed her how perceptive Katarina had been of her, and under other circumstances she might have found it as another reason to enjoy the woman's company. Instead, it instilled a more solid foundation for her panic. _What if she somehow guessed the truth? _She quickly shook the notion away before the assassin noticed. "I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't been so quick on my feet," she admitted. Katarina squeezed Lux's hand tightly with her own.

"There would have been one less summoner roaming these halls, and I'd probably be stuck here a lot longer," the woman joked.

"As much as I would probably love every moment of that, it would be rather difficult to explain why you, a Noxian, the Sinister Blade, are coming to my defense," she mentioned, dampening the light mood.

"Then he should fear the shadows. I just might need a willing partner to help me test a few new moves upon recovery," Katarina replied, bringing back the banter. Lux laughed merrily.

_You should tell her,_ the kind voice prodded suddenly_. Before she finds out from somewhere else._

"Lux? Are you okay?" she asked, drawing the light mage from the depths of her mind.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she absently replied. "No... Katarina, I need to talk to you." She drew in a deep breath and held it. _Am I selfless enough?_

"Come here," the assassin said, tugging lightly at her hand while the free one patted the free space on the bed. Lux dropped her resistance and allowed herself to be pulled from the chair to sit beside her.

"You can tell me anything. I'm all ears for you."

_Would she understand?_ she wondered as she peered into those sweet and somehow innocent eyes. Lux opened her mouth to begin speaking, but no sound came forth from her lips. She tried again but to no avail. Flustered, she let loose a series of incoherent sounds.

"Lux, it's okay. Talk to me," Katarina said, her voice wonderfully soothing.

_Perhaps I can start with small things and eventually build up to it,_ she decided. Once she began talking, it would become much easier to continue, she reasoned. "I..." she started but then realized she had not thought of an easy topic to begin with.

"It's alright, my love. There is no reason to be afraid." _"My love." _While it was not an easy topic, it was somewhere to begin.

"I.. am still confused about all of this," Lux said, gesturing all about them.

"Confused about us?" she offered and received a solid nod. "I am too, sometimes. Well, hell, a lot."

"I'm glad that you are too. It made it sound less terrible if you were thinking it too. It's just so strange. It never occurred to me that I could enjoy a woman's company like this. And now that I've experienced it, I wonder if that's why I see Havien as so creepy now compared to when I could somewhat tolerate his presence without bile."

"It's quite possible."

"And then... and then there's the fact that you're Noxian."

Katarina cringed. "I'm sorry, I think."

"No, don't be. It doesn't bother me that you are, and _that_ is what bothers me, if that makes sense."

"My sentiments exactly for you being a Demacian."

"We're supposed to be enemies," she dared to say, but her lover's eyes grew large with fear for a moment before returning to normal.

"I hope you don't mean that you wish this to end. I'd understand, but..."

"Oh, gods no!" Lux exclaimed before she could control her thoughts. Already she left behind the reason for initiating the conversation. Katarina breathed a sigh of relief. "No. I enjoy being with you far too much to call it off."

"Fortunate for us both then, no?" the Noxian remarked, and with much pained effort raised her hand to touch Lux's cheek. Soft, sweet, and kind, it was a stark contrast to a similar gesture Havien had attempted earlier that morning. She grasped the hand with her own and held it to her face.

"Yes. Most fortunate." With a gentle motion, she twisted Katarina's hand and placed a kissed in her palm before returning it to its previous place. Against her will, she spoke again, breaking the serenity of the moment. "You should get some sleep. You need it for a swift recovery." She released the hand and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Can you stay...?" came the tiniest of whispers, almost as if not aware that the words had tumbled out.

"Can I stay the night, you mean?" Lux asked, and Katarina's face flushed a delicate pink.

"I actually said that out loud? Fuck."

"No. It's alright. I think it's cute, but I don't think Soraka would enjoy giving up her only other bed. With all the work she does for you, and without repayment of any kind as of yet, it would be rude and unfair to ask that of her as well."

"But you're petite."

"Yes, but I'm a bit of a stranger to her. I doubt she'd want to share a- oh," she interrupted herself as the thought donned on her. "You meant... with you."

"It would be rude to ask that of her, yet I don't mind sharing." Hoping to safeguard her thoughts from the mounting embarrassment, Lux quickly rose from the bed and found a pen and scrap of paper on the Starchild's desk. Scribbling away a note, she left the apology on the healer's pillow before returning to Katarina's side. "I can't move as well as I'd like to, but shift the covers so that you can join. Soraka likes to keep her room freezing when she goes to sleep. Something about good for the blood flow." Following the advice, she cautiously pulled back the comforter but made sure the sheet remained separating them. While she adored the woman, she thought perhaps it was too soon to venture that far into their still budding relationship. "Y'know she put a nightgown on me, right?" A deep blush swept across Lux's face. She was mortified she had been read so easily. "Oh come here already." Unable to do much else other than comply, she pulled the sheet back as well and climbed in beside Katarina. Their bodies naturally gravitated to one another. The warmth radiating from the assassin was a perfect balance to her cooled skin. "Thank you."

"Of course. Now let's get you to sleep."

"Wait."

"What's wrong?"

"Could you turn me towards you? Soraka said it was ill advised to move without someone's guidance. I assume she meant just hers, but I think I'm used to the routine enough to tell you what to do."

"Alright, love." It was easier than anticipated to roll Katarina on to her side, and soon the two inched closer to each other, noses touching. "Let's try to sleep now."

"Wait."

"Does your shoulder hurt?" she asked, her voice filled with more worry than she had thought there would be.

"No, but... could you hug me? I would try to do the same, but I don't think I could keep my shoulder like that for a whole night." Lux chuckled lightly and snaked her arm underneath Katarina's neck and pillow, then carefully wrapped the other around the lower part of her torso, pulling her into a full embrace. "This feels so wonderful," she whispered contently.

"I'm glad. Now, good night, dear."

"Wait."

"I can only imagine how it must have been for your parents to get your ass to shut up," Lux chided playfully.

"I was quite the hellion, but I see no reason to not continue to live up to it."

"What do you want?" she asked, an amused smirk forming upon her lips.

"Can I kiss you a few times before we sleep?" came a hesitant request. Lux felt her face heat up again.

"I wasn't aware that we had to ask to kiss each other," she retorted, hoping to combat the butterflies that suddenly appeared within her stomach and desired to discover an exit.

"I didn't think so either, but I didn't know how comfortable you'd be with it. I wanted to give you fair warning to compensate for last time."

"Of course, Kat. I would love it."


	14. Revelations

A soft yet firm hand shook Lux awake from her peaceful slumber. Her eyes fluttered open to see Soraka gazing down at her. Confusion racked her mind as she wondered if she had left her door unlocked. How did the Starchild get in her room? Panic replaced her thoughts as she realized with dread,_ If she could get in, then Havien could._ She wiped the sleep from her eyes and bolted up to a sitting position.

"Fear not, Lux. I will not say anything," the healer promised. A third voice groaned quietly to the right of Lux. A voice belonging to none other than Katarina. Lux's face flushed as she finally remembered she was not tucked away in her room but rather sharing a bed with the woman beside her. "I believe I understand now why I was asked to remain silent." The color of Lux's blush deepened, and for the first time in many years, Lux found herself completely devoid of words. No possible way to deflect the attention from the current scene or downplay the meaning of what had been seen. "It is sunrise, and I have heard that you have offered your services to the summoners for the week. I wanted to ensure you had time to make yourself look presentable."

"Thank you," Lux mumbled quietly. She rose from the bed and gathered her belongings with speed. The heat in her cheeks renewed itself every time she accidentally made eye contact with Soraka. Never before had she been so vulnerable without being in control, and Lux did not know how to reclaim the situation.

"Do not feel ashamed of your actions," she suddenly said, shocking the light mage to a complete halt. "There is no reason to feel guilty about what you choose to enjoy. The sooner you becoming accepting of yourself, the sooner you can fully be with your loved one." Was she really so easy to read? Lux squirmed at the idea of becoming the author of the open book as opposed to the reader. Did others feel this way why she read their passages aloud? After much debate, though the thoughts only took a moment, she decided there was no use hiding herself from the healer at this point. Maybe she could ease her doubts, or at least the ones she cared to share.

"But... she is a Noxian," she replied earnestly.

"And are all people bound by the city they hail from? What of the homeless? How are they to be judged?" came Soraka's counterargument.

"She is not just from some city. She is my sworn enemy!"

"Perhaps the line between love and hate is smaller than you think, Lux."

"I thought you would hold the grudge against Noxus until the end of your days."

"And that I shall, but the innocent have no right to my wrath. I may not enjoy the presence of a Noxian, but there must be a redeeming side to her to have won over your heart," Soraka answered warmly. She wanted to deny her words, that her heart belonged to herself, but was rather sick of lying lately and so let them go unchallenged.

"But she is..." Lux glanced at the woman in question, breathing softly and peacefully. "She is no man."

"It is nature that should tell you what is acceptable, not the varying customs of humans. The heart may be fickle and difficult to understand, but it knows what it wants."

"Thank you," she said once more, but her voice was far stronger this time. She smiled brightly at the Starchild before she leaned down to place a kiss on Katarina's forehead. "I love you," she whispered before leaving the room. The assassin groaned quietly in reply to her words before falling back asleep.

* * *

_It's like you're on fire!_ Penna remarked in Lux's mind as the enemy Alistar toppled over his feet and fell to the ground. He lay motionless. The entire match her reflexes had been unparalleled, her aim flawless and steady. Countless foes had fallen before her feet in a glorious show of light. And she  
had yet to die even once.

_It is amazing what the body can do when it is well rested, no?_ Lux replied, barring the summoner from probing deeper into her mind. The previous night had been the most soundly she had slept since... to her knowledge, ever. For the first time in far too long, she was not plagued with nightmares of things that came and things that will. She had not wakened to the sound of her own tossing and turning, so frightened she had sometimes been. Did Swain figure it out finally? Did Katarina change her mind about their friendship? Did the summoners catch wind of a stray thought during her Judgment? These thoughts often preoccupied her mind strongly enough to think of them even while she slept. Last night was the first time since accepting her mission that those thoughts had been silent. Though she had opened her eyes once, the quiet breathing of Katarina lulled her back to sleep. The best part was that it had felt right.

_If that's all it takes, I'm scared to see you when you're at your peak. But let's get you back to the base to recover your strength, not that you need it. I think you could wink at one of these fools, and they'd fall over with terror._ Lux chuckled at her summoner's faith but kept the sound from the mental link. It had felt good to be relied on by someone and come through, but she did not want to voice this to her partner. Questions would accompany the reply. She stepped into a nearby patch of bushes to conceal her from preying eyes, then relayed to her summoner the signal. A faint light glowed about her skin as Penna began casting the spell to bring her champion to the fountain. Lux joined in the incantation, and the light pulsed as it rapidly gained brightness. Footsteps made their way by her hiding place, but she kept her concentration, hoping to leave the field before she was discovered. The movements continued by her until the sound faded into the distance. A small sigh of relief left her lips as she focused on the last words of the spell. A pair of talon-like claws rose from the ground and clamped tightly into Lux's legs, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. The spell had been interrupted, and the light vanished into the air.

"I didn't mean to startle you, Miss Crownguard," a voice mocked as a man sauntered into the bushes. His wooden leg did not seem to slow his motions, and a raven quietly sat on his shoulder, always watching. He kicked lightly at the space to his left and connected with a solid mass. "Handy little things sight wards are, aren't they?" he chuckled.

"Oh mother f-"

"That's no way for a lady to talk, especially one that is called the Light of Demacia!" Swain interrupted, a grin taking over his face.

_Sorry!_ Penna apologized, but Lux buried the connection between them deep enough to keep the probing at bay. This was not a conversation for other ears.

"I wonder..." he mused out loud, "where could you have picked up such filthy language?"

Panic threatened to break beyond her control, but she quickly calmed herself. As before when he kept close tabs on Katarina while they had met on the training field, he might have an inkling that perhaps something was up but still has not quite put the pieces together. With this reassurance, she kept the playful banter going the best she could. "There is plenty to pick up if you stay within the Institute long enough. I find it quite amazing that no one has fallen ill to Mordekaiser yet," she dodged. The talons' hold over her feet released, and she took a few steps away from her opponent.

"I see. I pray that is not what's happened to our dear Katarina," Swain said, his sharp tone revealing unspoken questions.

"How precious. Noxus lost another one of their dogs," she retorted.

"Lost they may become, but they know to return to master when they're hungry," the man said, and his body posture dipped, assuming one for battle.

"Master?" Lux asked incredulously.

"Yes," he smugly answered. "Master." With incredible speed, Swain's bird flew from his perch and clawed at Lux's face. Wielding the baton as a weapon of power, she gripped the pole with both arms and swung in the air, hoping to keep the sharp razors at bay. Swain stepped into her blind spot as the bird covered his motions. So wrapped up in defending against the aerial assault that she did not realize he had moved until he whacked the Demacian across the abdomen with is walking stick. Air forced its way out of her lungs, and she gasped fruitlessly for replenishment. The Noxian laughed maniacally and threw himself deep into spell casting, and those vicious talons rose from the ground to snare her once more. "Stop spreading your weakness, child. Your plague is far worse than anything Mordekaiser could inflict."

Penna, though unable to hear the conversation between the two champions, did not need further encouragement to save her partner. She uttered the words as swiftly as she could, and Lux's body was spirited away from harm with only a moment to spare. _Thank you,_ Lux remarked.

_But of course. Now let's return the favor, shall we?_

_It would be my pleasure to assist you in this endeavor._ Lux rose to her feet and gathered her strength. This time, she refused to be taken off-guard by such trickery. With the twist of her wrists, the crystal set in her baton fired a ray of light, binding Swain's ankles to the ground, while its refraction snared his bird's wings mid-flight. Unable to continue flapping, the creature plummeted to the ground below with a terrible _thud. _Though no blood splattered the dirt beneath its body, the bone jutted hideously from its broken wing, and its head lay twisted back to its master's sight.

"You shall pay dearly for that," the man hissed when he found the strength to look away from the broken form of his companion.

"Then bring it," Lux taunted, giving her best impression of a pissed Katarina. She waved her hand about, and a magical ball of light placed itself near the Noxian just as he pulled out of the binding light. She fired a series of bolts of light at her opponent, but he seemed to take no notice. In fact, he shrugged off the attacks as he fell into spell casting. Lux took advantage of the opening and continued to send bolts his way, for every damage taken now was less needed later. She snapped her fingers and detonated the ball of light, and this time, Swain cringed from the force of energy.

Without missing a beat, he completed his spell and shot a wave of eerie green light at the Demacian. Pulses of crippling pain washed over the light mage, and every movement brought another round of debilitating agony. With a feral roar, Swain released an energy that knocked her on her back as she watched in terror the infamous transformation of the Master Tactician. His mouth and nose merged into a horrible hooked formation before hardening into a glossy beak, and his eyes receded into the back of skull, glowing an ominous incarnadine light. He screamed again, whether it be through anguish or pleasure, Lux never knew, for his voice shifted to a petrifying screech, much like the cawing of his fallen friend. Grotesque, skeletal appendages ripped through his waistcoat and fluttered about his head and shoulders like fleshy stumps. It was a scene right out of a child's worst nightmare. The sequence continued as his wings filled with more muscles and learned to definitely flap while tufts of black feathers poked up from the pores along his skin. "Come to me!" he cried, and his otherworldly voice filled Lux with impending dread. A flock of ravens circled around the monstrosity, cawing their praises to their leader. The transformation came to completion, and the humanoid atrocity shifted his gaze to the frozen Demacian. "Let me devour you and your weakness and leave your bones behind in my wake!" he bellowed, and the flock dove at her. All the years at the academy, or even under her tutelage, had done much for Lux, but nothing could have prepared her for the walking abomination towering over her paralyzed form. She was no longer in control of the situation, much less her own body.

The first raven dove out of the skies, leading a trail of its bombarding brethren closely behind. Fear controlled her every motion, and she swung blindly with her baton, smacking the bird out of the air. But unlike Swain's fist companion, these creatures were comprised of magic, and it dissipated into the air only to be replaced with replica tailing the end of the diving flock. Luxanna Crownguard found herself truly panicking. She commanded her baton's crystal to release a rainbow shield about her body in an effort to deflect the attacks, but still did she feel the gnawing power behind the magical creatures. Against every lesson she had been taught, against every cord of control she held over herself, against her nature, she screamed. Out of terror, agony, and insanity, she screamed, its echoes piercing the atmosphere of the Summoner's Rift.

_Hold on, Lux! _Penna pleaded. _Help is on the way. Try to survive through his attacks. He can only sustain that form for so long before he depletes his strength, and each passing moment taxes him more. Encourage him to deplete his reserves! _Lux could not find the words to summon forth a reply that would explain to her summoner how incapable she was. How could she take on such an impossible task? Swain was right: she was weak. Hit after hit, she accepted from the winged foes, and her shield broke under the constant barrage. Lux closed her eyes as she waited for the final hit.

A powerful gust of wind knocked away the Swain's flying minions and nearly Lux along with them if she had been standing. A protective calm fell about the mage, and she opened her eyes to glance about curiously about the area. Janna floated at her side, extending a helping hand. "Hurry!" she implored, galvanizing her teammate into motion. Swiftly, the Demacian was pulled to her feet, and the duo began to flee from the hellish creature. Lux halted her retreated when she heard a strange sound emitted by the Master Tactician. "What are you waiting for?!" the wind sorceress asked. "Come on!"

"No, wait! I think he grows weary and nears the end of his limits."

"You have got to be joking. We are not going back there, are we?" Without a verbal reply, Lux raced back to her opponent and flicked her wrists. Her baton fired a ray of light from its crystal to bind Swain with tendrils of light. Without waiting to see the action through, Lux drew deep upon her last reserves, charging for her most powerful spell. Swain's summoner, however, had other plans and spirited the champion out of the clutches of the light binding. "Oh, no, you don't!" Janna yelled and summoned a second tornado in the Noxian's direction. The bird-man was caught in the swirling winds, preventing him from taking the last step out of Lux's range.

"DEMACIA!" she cried and unleashed a brilliant white ray of blinding light, searing through the darkness of Swain's magic. Once the brightness of her spell dissipated, she found Swain, trapped between his transformation back to his human form, lying face first in the ground.

_An enemy as been slain! _Penna announced, confirming Swain's defeat.

"We should run back to our base instead of recalling in case his team comes to find us," Janna suggested, and Lux nodded her affirmation as she trailed behind her savior.

_When we meet again, I will not be so easy to conquer,_ Lux swore to herself as she took one last glance at the abomination. _And I will not need someone to save me next time._

* * *

She slipped through the crack in the doorway, as silent as a shadow, and closed it until she heard the definite _click_. "Lux?" the room's inhabitant asked, followed by a muffled groan. The light mage dispelled her illusion and approached the bed to see Katarina struggling to sit up.

"No, no. Please stay there. You'll hurt yourself," she said, gently pressing the woman back. The assassin resisted, though only momentarily before slouching back to her pillow and wincing on the way down.

"I'm just growing restless and want out of this damn place. No offense to Soraka, of course."

"Of course," Lux agreed and nodded slightly. The chair from the previous night still sat beside the bed, so she made herself comfortable in the cushioned seat. "How've you been?"

"I've been stuck in here all day. What do you think?"

"I know, Kat. I've been stuck out there all day." Their hands found one another's and grasped tightly upon discovery. She softly traced circles into the woman's index finger as they spoke.

"Lucky you. Tell me of the rest of the world."

"I kicked Swain's ass in my previous match," Lux casually mentioned before her lips formed a huge grin. The assassin's eyes bulged at the words.

"Swain lost to your puny ass?" Katarina asked dubiously. "I can't believe that. Swain's the best that Noxus has to offer, aside from me. How could he lose like that?"

"What, and I'm not the best Demacia has to offer, aside from my brother?" she countered, pretending to be hurt.

"Fuck Demacia," the assassin replied, drawing giggles from them both. "Did you catch him by surprise?"

"Actually, he surprised me while I was trying to head back to the base for healing and such."

"I have a hard time believing that while he had every advantage over you, he still lost."

"Oh, I didn't say it was easy!" she laughed. "Far from it. He even transformed on me," she said, and a noticeable shiver caught Katarina. "I see you have been graced with the sight."

"The less I see of it, the better I'll be," came the dark reply.

"I can second that matter. If it wasn't for Janna, I would have been completely screwed."

"So you had help. I _knew_ it sounded sketchy that you defeated him!"

"Hey, I wasn't fully healed and he had surprise on his side. I think a harmless breeze was enough to put things back in balance."

"Harmless my ass!" she said, and the two shared a hearty laugh before ressuming the conversation.

"Since we're talking about Swain, when he caught me unawares in the brush, he said some things to me that unsettled me."

"What exactly do you mean?" Katarina asked, her eyes narrowing to tiny slits.

"I believe he is catching on that perhaps we have been spending time together," Lux said carefully.

"But he doesn't know for sure yet," the assassin stated.

"Correct. But we need to be more vigilant in the future."

"It would be quite the shitfest if he got solid proof."

"Yes, a shitfest. I like that word. It's an accurate description. But to continue our conversation, he has noticed your absence and is seeking information about your whereabouts. He thought starting with me would be best. That alone suggests how desperate he is to find that proof, let alone find out more about you."

"Oh gods, they don't think I've deserted, do they?!"

"I don't think so. I think they're wondering about foul play."

"Good. Maybe with their aid, we can get to the bottom of the assassination of my father and the nearly successful attempt on me." Lux's stomach squeezed with gripping fear before it subsided.

"Actually, there's something else Swain said that got me thinking... I still can't fathom as to why he would tell me such an important thing, though, given that we're enemies."

"What is it, Lux?"

"When he mentioned your recent disappearance, I commented that it was cute Noxus had lost one of their dogs. Forgive me."

"It's fine. You're only doing what needs to be done. Besides, I know I can be a royal bitch sometimes." Lux winked her reply before continuing.

"Anyway, in reply, he said that the dogs know to return to master when they're hungry."

"Master?"

"Yes. He said master. Twice, in fact, when I asked him the very same question."

"He can't be saying what I think he's saying..."

"Again, I can't understand why he would pass me such important information like this, but if there is any truth found in his words, he might be somehow connected to your father's murder."

"Now that you mention it, a few months back, we were arguing about something or another, and he mentioned how all his hard work had brought us here to the League of Legends. When I corrected him that it was my father, not him, that had accomplished these feats, he nearly ripped my head off. I just thought he was in a bad mood, but... I wonder if there's any correlation."

"Assuming we're not chasing after our own tails, then-"

"Oh fuck!" Katarina interrupted loudly, and her hands almost crushed Lux's in her jolt. She feared the woman was in pain at first and searched her face for signs of discomfort, but she soon realized it was a thought in her mind, not pain.

"What's wrong?"

"If Swain was involved with my father's murder, do you think... do you think he's the one who's trying to kill me?" she asked, her eyes growing large and moist. Lux's heart stopped beating for several excruciatingly long moments.

"He's not that stupid, right? That would draw too much attention if your entire family started dropping like flies. Besides, what about the Black Rose organization you mentioned, and what if the two events are completely unrelated?"

"We've been over this, Lux. There's no way they're not related. It's impossible. As for the Black Rose, I don't know exactly how they fit into all of this, but I swear on my family name that I will get to the bottom of this. And if Swain really is involved, so help me, I'll kill him myself."

"Now that's a fight I'd pay to watch," she jested with hopes of cutting the tension. Katarina's lips graced Lux with a soft smile as the Noxian reached up to cup her cheek in her hand.

"What would I do without you, Lux?" Though she could only force a smile in return, the light mage wondered not for the first time if the woman would have been better off without her.


	15. Intrusion

Her head lay on the mahogany desk, buffered by the cushion of her hands, like a child that had fallen asleep in class. The violent and cacophonous churning of her thoughts made it impossible for Lux to even close her eyes. It was late into the night, and she had not rested since the night before with Katarina, but her weariness was not able to overcome her anxiety. After she had parted with her love earlier that night, she bent the light around her body and fled to her room, desperate to seek council from someone, anyone. She wrote a message, seeking immediate assistance and guidance, prayed to every god she knew, and sent the letter to Demacia in a wisp of light. Hours had passed since without answer, and the last shreds of Lux's stability began to unravel. Each passing day swelled with the mounting difficulty to function as a perfect icon of a Demacian citizen, but these last days even more so, let alone trying to be a simple human being.

_Alone._

Moonlight spilled through her room, the special glass window refracting the rays into a soft rainbow across the velvet armchair and rug. Her sight lingered on the two as memories played before her eyes. How long ago had Garen sat in that chair when he last spoke with her? And how much time has been chased away since Katarina stole precious moments to share with her on that very rug? Without their presence, she realized how bland her white room suddenly looked, relying on life from the colors of the light. Their absence left her hallowed, and the sight of room was a bitter reminder of how, no matter how hard she wished, she would always be alone. Without the brief moments of their colors, she was as blank as the canvas of her walls. The stark contrast deepened the strength of every shadow. She wanted to tear it all down; the furniture, the wallpaper, the window, everything. Was she really as blank as these chambers, a painting waiting to be made? That was her true power, they had told her; not her affinity of light, not her ability to mimic any of the arcane spells she witnessed, but her malleability. But once the hands left the clay, did the masterpiece vanish?

A faint light emanated from a closed cubby within the desk, interrupting her downward spiral of self-loathing and pity. She snatched the arriving object, a letter from her superiors. She unlaced the alabaster ribbon that magically sealed its contents and unrolled the rather small parchment. To her surprise, it lacked the formal template of a date and signature, not to mention there were only a few words scribbled. Lux conjured a pebble sized ball of light to hover above the message, revealing the ink.

_"Return for orders at once."_

She tried to blink away her astonishment, though to little gain. She cast several spells upon the parchment, searching perhaps for a hidden message layered within the words, but found nothing. Lux weighed the pros and cons of gathering her stuff and disappearing into the night, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Garen's absence was understandable, for he was the captain of the guard. She had no valid excuse. After much deliberation, she decided the best course would to be to play the following day by ear, searching for opportunities to exploit, and if nothing were to manifest, she could easily claim her mother missed her terribly and wished to see her. Since her arrival, Lux had yet to take a day of leave, so it would be a plausible explanation... she hoped. Her new orders poked at the beehive of her mind and set everything buzzing once more. Sleep would be impossible tonight, she concluded, and she stared at the empty walls surrounding her, desperately wishing they would change. For if they could, then there was hope she could too.

* * *

She could not recall when, but at some point in the night her exhaustion overtook her senses and dulled her into a still sleep, though restless, almost a grave parody to the peaceful one she spent beside Katarina. Both willing and not, she rose from her bed and packed her things in a small, leather bag for her departure later in the day, then dressed herself appropriately before stepping out of the place that had now become her dungeon. Breakfast graciously passed uneventfully, but as she left the mess hall, a familiar blue aura enveloped her entire body. Lux opened her mind to accept the summoner's call and prepared a cheery dialogue to exchange with her new partner, but the other side was eerily silent. She could feel the summoner brush against her consciousness, so she knew without doubt their connection had solidified, yet they chose to not speak. _Maybe they are new and unaware of the proper protocol of how to introduce themselves to a champion,_ she theorized, _though not even a sound is coming through. Perhaps the spell is incomplete in some way? _She recalled with needle-like terror the agony of her first teleportation, and her body clenched in anticipation of the horrors to come. The light tightened around her frame, though not to the extremity of her fears, and whisked her away to the Fields of Justice, gentle as a breeze.

She opened her eyes with confusion, for she could not remember even shutting them, and witnessed her teammates staring at her with puzzled looks. The youngest of the group, Annie, gazed with wide eyes and a mouth fallen slightly ajar. The child carried a soft and fuzzy teddy bear in her arms, and she was completed by a purple dress. Adorable as she was, Lux knew better than to fall for the deception, for the girl was an incredibly powerful mage, regardless of her age. In fact, Lux wondered often if Annie had crafted her appearance so as to have others underestimate her, both friends and foes alike. "Are you okay?" the girl asked, and the expression worn by the other three mirrored the concern. Lux shook away whatever thoughts had constrained her and gave her best effort to form a smile.

"Yes, Annie. I dearly appreciate your concern, but I assure you that I am fine. I assume you will handle our middle lane today?"

"Yeap! And I bet I will wipe the floor with the other guy too," the Dark Child giggled.

"Give them my regards for me, then," Lux replied with a wink.

"Only after I'm done giving mine!" After a second giggle, Annie skipped away from the fountain and out of sight. Lux turned her attention to her remaining companions. A man cloaked in nothing but the hide of a bear about his head and shoulders and loose cloth tied around his waist for modesty's sake. He gave a brief nod to her before disappearing into the wilds of the jungle.

"I assume you know your role in this match to be a guardian," a smooth voice asked, drawing Lux's sight back to the remaining two teammates. A tall man garbed in the traditional ninja attire, though augmented with large shoulder pads, loomed over her, but she did not feel intimidated. In fact, her companion instilled an inner calm that she had not felt in many days. "It would be unwise to replace the young one or me, and I believe Udyr would prove resistant to your suggestion of taking his place."

"Of course, Shen. But it would be acceptable if I occasionally sneak a harmless little beam at the enemy, right?" Lux asked, a grin overtaking her face. It was difficult to see much of his own face as it was covered by a massive mask, but his eyes gave away an agreeing sparkle before he turned away.

"Let's get this over with," her final companion said gruffly. His tousled blonde hair nearly engulfed the goggles on the crown of his head, much in the same way that the various belts about his body nearly covered the majority of his waist and knees. His pants were frayed at every edge, and countless holes dotted the material. But the most noteworthy feature was not his clothes, his hair, or even his face. Instead, it was the smell and the grim about his body.

"Were you called away without warning during your travels once again?"

"I didn't even get to complete my search of the cellar!" Ezreal exclaimed.

"The sooner you dominate their team, the sooner you can return to... wherever you were exploring. Now, let us make short work of them!" she said, hoping to infuse her ally with motivation but was met with a simple roll of his eyes. She sighed, but reminded herself that, while Ezreal could be difficult at times to interact with, his goals were of utmost importance. He would refuse to allow anything to get in his way, including this match. Her team as a whole was quite balanced and strong, giving her confidence that the match would fall in their favor. Her movements were graced by a light spring in her step as she hurried after her partner. The two quickly dashed into the bushes near their tower and awaited the enemy's move. Lux scanned the perimeter in three segments: the path toward the opponent's turret, the river before the duo, and a small break in the jungle near her own turret. Not a sound was heard across the rift, nor was there an unusual sight. She continued her watch, hoping to catch a sign to either thwart a possible trap or turn the tide in their favor, but nothing was revealed. Each passing moment ticked by dreadfully slow, and her searching became frantic with fear of having missed a detail. _They have to be around here somewhere._

"I don't see a thing," Ezreal commented.

"They may not be coming here. Let us pass the information on to our teammates."

"Agreed."

_Summoner! I apologize for not speaking with you sooner, _Lux began by taking the initiate. She hoped that by taking on the burden she could open a clear pathway of communication between her and her mental companion. _In any event, Ezreal and I have yet to spot the enemy, so it would be recommended that you pass on the information to the others in case they ambush them._

_Welcome, my dear, _came a measured reply, and a tingle of fear raced up her spine. _I have missed you,_ he said, his voice stretching out the phrase for an uncomfortably long breath. The consciousness that had only gently brushed against her own now pressed upon her, causing her to fruitlessly take a physical step back. _But now we are together again, as it should be, and I promise you I will do my best to make it always so._

_Havien...? _Lux asked, desperately trying to keep him from noticing her horrified tone.

_Yes. Isn't it wonderful? You are my champion, and I your summoner, your partner. We are a match unlike any other! _His voice echoed in her mind before harshly whispering, _We were made for each other. _She stomach retched, and she nearly completed the motion, leaving a vile taste in her mouth. Another powerful blow of his consciousness batted against her, and she could feel her defenses weakening. She began to panic with the possible implications. What if he discovered her mission? Against every desire to fight back against the intrusion upon her sanctuary, she tried a more delicate way of handling him.

_Yes, we are a match unlike any other, _she started, hoping to catch his attention. _If you keep attacking me, however, I will be rendered useless, and what a pitiful match we would be!_

_I am not attacking you, Lux. No, far from it. I am only simply trying to be one with you, _he zealously replied. _I can give you my eyes! My knowledge! And me your power, your intelligence, your... abilities. _Lux squirmed with revulsion of his insinuation. _We will be the perfect unit, unstoppable even!_

_It is impossible to become one with a champion, Havien, and should you try and fail, one of us could go mad! _she exclaimed, grasping at any plausible reason available to her. _You would not want to chance me like that, right?_

_My dearest angel, that could only occur if I fail. Would you so resist me, after all I have done for you? Even so, should I fail, I vow to take care of you until the end of ours days, whoever should be the first to go, _he replied with a twisted sense of caring and devotion.

_Then please give me time to adjust to you, _she lamely stated. _Each summoner's mind is unique, and understanding its depths aids a champion in synchronizing their thoughts._

_Ah, but I have already thought of that. You see, you have my apologies for not responding when I first summoned you, for I was in the throes of spell casting. I have spent countless hours in researching the matter, and today I debut my final product. I have already spoken the words, Lux, and today, we will finally become one, as she should have been long ago. I knew from the first day I met you that you burned the same way I did, and now, we no longer must suffer, my dear._

A cry in the distance akin to an animal's wail stretched over the Summoner's Rift, and Ezreal swore. "It would appear our friends managed to corner Udyr," he commented, his voice revealing minor regret. He turned to face his partner to continue the conversation only to notice her state. "Lux, are you alright? You look really pale," Ezreal asked with modest concern. She flashed her ally an unconcealed look of utter fear, startling the young man. Tears fell from her eyes as she silently pleaded for help before Havien realized what she was doing. "What's going on?!" She pointed to her head, but the explorer only stared with confusion. She pointed again, more vehemently this time, but his expression did not waver. "Answer me!" More tears streamed down her face as she changed her tactics and tried to point to Ezreal's head, but her hand did not appear in her vision. In fact, it did not move at all. "Are you trying to throw the match?" he asked, though even he was unsure of the accuracy of his statement. Another pound of the invading force bounced off her mental walls.

_Oh, my sweet, sweet Lux. You do not have to play hard to get with me anymore. I swear, I am all yours, _he said in an attempted smoothing tone, but it only caused her skin to crawl. Her hand finally lifted from its paralyzed state and came into to view, bringing her a small bit of relief. Her hand, however, did not try to point at Ezreal's head as she had willed. Instead, it came towards her face, holding her cheek for a fleeting moment before caressing down to her jaw line with only the fingertips. _And you are all mine._

"What in the hell?" Ezreal remarked as he watched the scene unfold without context. "Lux, explain yourself right now. This is really creepy, and the match is about to begin soon. I need you to be at your best." Lux tried to reach out to him, but her limbs would not obey. With a final act of desperation, she opened her mouth to blurt out everything, regardless of Havien's presence. The cry came out soundless. "Okay, that's it. I contacting all the other summoners to halt the game."

"No," Lux said mechanically, much to her horror. "I am fine."

"You most definitely do not seem like the idea of fine, Lux. I'm calling this match off."

"I think it has passed now. Please continue." Ezreal kept a wary eye on his partner for a moment longer before turning his gaze to the field to spot the physical enemies that may be lurking.

_How could you?! _she screamed.

_He would have interfered with my research. I need to know if this spell works._

_So you decide that it is fit to use my voice instead of requesting me to do so?_

_I can see that the spell has some unwanted side effects, and I apologize from the depths of my heart that you are afflicted so, but I must take precautions that my spell is not interrupted. Even I am unaware of those consequences._

_Fuck your consequences! _she retorted and retreated to the deepest corner of her mind, hoping to hide from his invasion.

_It would appear that uncontrolled rage is a component of the side effects, so I will forgive your words right now, for I know you do not truly mean them. I would, however, appreciate an apology when you have returned to normal._

_Fuck your apologies too, for it is not the spell. Get out of my head, now! _Lux shrieked, and she returned his constant, violent pushes with one of her own. Havien had not prepared for such an encountered, and his presence lost much ground in the imaginary battlefield.

_Please, stop! You could break us both!_

_Then so be it. _She returned each blow she had suffered in kind to Havien, each growing the distance between their minds melding. She felt control return to numbed areas of her body, giving her the courage and strength to keep fighting.

_I had really hoped it would not come down to this, Lux, but it would appear you have given me no choice, _he solemnly said before muttering words too quietly for her to understand. She did not have to comprehend to realize that he was casting another spell.

Gathering whatever control she had left of her being, she clasped Ezreal's shoulder. He whirled around to face her, his expression still unchanged. "Get him out of-" she said before sputtering nonsensical syllables. Havien's consciousness smothered her own, surpassing her own authority again. Ezreal blinked multiple times at the babbling woman he had for a partner and did the only thing he could. Lux, meanwhile, engaged in her personal battle within. _I am not your plaything, clay waiting for you to mold and shape. My mind is my own, and I will not allow you to violate it any longer! _she yelled with a another mental push laced in her words. The intruding presence did not budge, as if it had not experience the blow at all.

_Lux... _he said with a sigh, _when we have joined, we have much to discuss._ Rather than replying, she tried once more to push him away, but as before, it was to no avail.

"The match has been halted on the grounds of cheating and tampering for the purple team," an announcer spoke, his voice reverberating against the barren walls. "The council of grand summoners must please report to the Summoner's Rift to examine these claims. The match will resume depending on the hearing."

_I swear you will not get away with this, _Lux seethed, and if she could have spat at him, she would have. The usual blue light wrapped around her body and instantly summoned her and her teammates to a room that looked much like the one used for Judgments. A group of seven elders sat in a semi-circle before the champions, eyeing each suspiciously.

"Will the champion who called for this meeting please step forward and state your reasons for this unusual call? One makes accusations like this for the other team, not their own," the man in the middle spoke.

Ezreal took several steps forward to reveal himself, then gave a swift bow. "Your... err, Grace?"

"Address me as 'sir.'"

"Yes, sir. I do not exactly know what is going on, but there is something wrong with my teammate and her summoner. She was acting bizarre from the start of the match, and I worry that something terrible is happening."

"What exactly do you mean by bizarre, Prodigal Explorer?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" he countered as he grabbed Lux's wrist and brought her before the council. In a hushed whisper, he said, "Go on. Tell them."

_No! Not when the spell is so close to completion! Once we are one, nothing else will matter, _Havien cried.

_You never even asked me if this was what I wanted! _she retorted, then, with the spare attention that was not directed at keeping the invader at bay, she focused on the elders before her. She tried to speak her case, but with mounting irritation, she discovered Havien had already infiltrated that part of her abilities.

"Well, Luxanna?" a different voice, a woman with tumbling gray hair, asked.

"This is what I mean, sir, uh, ma'am. But not just her silence. The one time she could speak, she said 'get him out of-' and what I assume was to be 'my head.' Please, something is not right here. Also, I suspect she is unable to move her limbs," Ezreal reported, much to Lux' relief, or at least she would have felt it given other circumstances. The woman stood from her seat and approached Lux's position.

"Allow me into your mind so as to see your troubles, Lux," she said. It was less of a request and more of a firm command, but Lux took no offense. The other six council members joined hands and began chanting. As their voices also joined, the runes placed about the room illuminated and grew with intensity as their volume rose. "I promise this will not hurt," the woman said as she placed a hand upon Lux's brow.

_Enjoy your days in hell, _Lux mocked as she allowed the consciousness of the woman to touch hers. Her presence washed over the light mage's, searching for the answers to everyone's questions. The elder gasped when she caught the trail end of Havien's retreating presence. _Please, this way! _she called, hoping to lead the woman to the cause.

"What is she doing?" Ezreal whispered to his teammates as they watched the woman's droop as if drowsy.

"She is entering Lux's mind in an attempt to read her memories and discover the truth," Shen briefed, then looked away from the blonde.

"There is a vile presence here!" the woman suddenly yelled, shocking everyone in the room but Ezreal.

"Did I not explain that in the beginning?" he said sarcastically, though he only mumbled over his breath when Annie elbowed him in the side. The elders' chanting shifted, including the woman who served as their conduit, and new words entered the mix. The runes glowed a soft green as the new spell began to take form. Their words changed from the verbal to ones spoken mentally, though all could still hear in their minds.

_BE GONE, _the elders as a single, layered voice boomed, banishing and expelling all other magic within the room.

_But... I thought you loved me, _Havien said, all power and confidence vanished, before he, too, disappeared from her mental chambers. A deafening silence filled the uneventful moments as they all waited for the results.

"Thank you," Lux spoke of her own volition. The woman relinquished her hold over Lux's mind and carefully retreated from their mental link before breaking it. The woman opened her eyes to take in her recovering charge. The light mage cautiously moved her hands and arms, verifying that she did, indeed, have control restored to her once again. She breathed a sigh of relief before her knees buckled. "Thank you so much."

"Lux, child, what happened?" the woman asked.

"My summoner for this match has been... obsessed with me since I first met him. His name is Havien, and he said he had done research so that he could take control of me."

The woman looked over her shoulder to glance at the man in the middle. "Send Koron and Tysila to his room. Find him and bring him to me immediately."

"It would be my pleasure," he replied as he exited the room.

"Now," she continued as she focused her attention back to Lux, "please visit Soraka to heal any injuries that he may have inflicted upon you. I relieve you of the rest of your duty for the week for the new summoners. We will also order you a leave from the Institute, should you so prefer. I believe it would be understandable, given the circumstances."

"I have been intending to visit my mother. She has missed me a great deal since my departure."

"Then perhaps it would be a wise opportunity to stay with her for some time. Return to us only when you feel you have healed from what Soraka cannot."

"I humbly accept."

* * *

Lux stood before the door, gathering the strength to open it. Behind lay Soraka, but so did Katarina. She was unsure if she could handle facing the woman in her current state. She was unsure if she could handle the guilt. A faint memory came to light from that fateful night when the Noxian was about to leave for her orders but met with her one last time. _"I toyed with the idea of going without letting you know._ Thought it would probably be better _for you, all things considered. But I didn't feel it was right. I wanted to see you one last time._" With great anticipation, Lux turned the knob and entered Soraka's office, finding the Star Child sitting at her desk. A letter written with a color of ink she did possess lay before her, and Lux assessed it was a message addressed to her, not one she was sending. Beside the parchment was a leather pouch. She wondered briefly about its contents before she continued her sweep of the room. One detail was missing, she realized.

Katarina was not in bed.

"I had received a message that you would be joining me shortly," Soraka said as she rose from her chair. "Are you well?"

"Where is Katarina?" she deflected the concern.

"It would appear she has returned home to Noxus."

"You just let her leave like that? I thought she was still unable to move!" Lux exclaimed, though careful to keep her volume low.

"She is a willful one, and if she can master the pain, then perhaps she will recover swiftly. I have done all I could in the way of healing her by now. As for releasing her, there was very little choice for me in the matter. I entered my chambers to find she had been taken long before and a bag of jewelweed was left on my desk. The plant is fairly difficult to come by, and the bag is rather heavy for its size. They are hoping to pay their debt to me but also ensuring that I will not speak a word of this in a single move."

"Why would you reveal this to me then?"

"I could tell from your eyes that you gathered what had transpired. I know you are no novice to subtlety. Giving you the words for this scenario does not change the knowledge that you had already discovered for yourself."

"Are you going to tell anyone else of this?"

"I have no purpose to meddle in these affairs. They do not affect me nor Ionia. Perhaps raining death and chaos upon Noxus could indirectly benefit her, but I will not wrought such destruction in the name of peace. While the stars would be ashamed that I would use my powers for petty arguments, that is not the main reason that stays my hand. To act, or not act, solely out of fear of disappointment does not mean that the course chosen rings in my heart, but rather that I care far too much about the punishment that I lose sight of my action. However, it would also hurt me as an individual to harm someone without a truly just cause. The further I stray from the path, the longer it will take me be in the stars' grace again. Thus, I have no reason to seek to interfere, for it will prolong my return to them."

"...I see. Then I suppose our business has concluded for now. One day, I will pay you back for the debts I owe you, rest assured. In the meanwhile, I will take my leave. I set out for Demacia this very day. The League has given me time to visit my mother, and I will return soon after."

"Do you not wish me to look over your injuries?" Soraka asked.

"There is nothing that time cannot heal."

"Then good day, Luxanna. May the stars watch over you."

"And to you the same, Starchild."

As the light mage began to leave the room, the healer spoke once more. "There was no hooded figure that day, was there, Lux?"

Quick as can be, she easily side-stepped question with an answer to appease. "Someone tried to kill Katarina and nearly succeeded. I will get to the bottom of it, one way or another."

"Katarina is the epitome of what a warrior should be. To be caught unawares of another presence, let alone that presence coming close enough to deal so much harm, seems so unlikely."

"That it does, but the events still happened. Justice will be brought. Good day, Soraka. May the rest of your days be uneventful."


	16. Accusations

**_A/N: _**_Midterms are finally over! I feel like a schoolgirl ag- wait a minute. Terrible simile. I still have a lot of school work to accomplish, but stealing away for an hour here and there to write may be much easier now. Thanks for sticking with me. I really do appreciate it. I tried to get this chapter and the previous chapter out as quickly as I could, but now I have to resume writing a 10-page research paper. I hope these two large updates will be enough to keep the pitchforks at bay._

* * *

Katarina visibly grimaced as pain shot through her spine. She glanced around the hall to assure herself no one had seen her moment of weakness. Satisfied, she continued down the corridor, her best efforts dedicated to controlling her stiff movements and expressions. By now, everyone of extreme importance had heard a loose tale of her injuries, and, naturally, they turned into wild flights of fantasy, catching on the tongues of servants and citizens like a wild fire in a dry summer. This did not bother the woman in the slightest, for no one knew the truth behind the mysterious story, and when it comes to humans confronting the unknown, they react with fear. To them, she was powerful, unstoppable, infallible. What could she have suffered to have kept her away from returning home? Most rumors before her arrival told of her valiant death, and to see the woman casually stroll by them shocked all viewers as if she had risen from the grave. Dancing on the edge of shadows had always been the assassin's expertise, along with the art of the blade, so correcting them would do more harm. And so, Katarina traveled down the corridor, not too slowly to give others the impression she was weakened but neither too fast to let them think she was in a hurry. Again, she walked a perfect balance.

Much to her surprise, taking control of her body was not as difficult as Soraka had impressed upon her. While there was indeed a certain amount of pain with each movement she made, her will to continue made every throb worth the trouble. As stubborn as she could be at times, even she understood that fighting of any kind would be out of the question. The pain slowed her reflexes to a noticeable level, and the match would be pointless. She sighed with discontent and fingered at pouch strung to her belt. Inside carried a vial she had found on her nightstand when she woke up this morning in her own room. That alone had been rather disorienting, but along with the bottle was a note explaining that she had been transported by finest magicians Noxus could offer so as to not disturb her slumber. There was a _request,_ "and not an order, ma'am," to meet with the High Council and make her debut appearance. However, she had other things to accomplish on her agenda before playing games.

Without knocking, she opened a door and darted within, startling the occupant of the room. "I see that you are not dead. And that you can walk."

"Hello to you too," Katarina sarcastically retorted. Her sister slithered up beside her, evaluating the revived assassin. Cassiopeia was once a sight less out of a child's horror story, but misfortune had fallen upon her. While Katarina had been blessed with subtlety and an eerie knack for knives, her sister was the epitome of an elegant whore. She understood she had grace and beauty, but she also knew how her body could entice a man's eye. She also discovered ways to use her charms to get whatever she wanted. Their father had encouraged her to join the realm of politics where she had excelled in procuring highly classified information and secrets, and none dared to accuse her for their wives' ears were nearby. To this day, Katarina still did not know all the details, only that one night Cassiopeia's screams filled the halls, and she was never the same again. Sometimes when she gazed upon her sister's scaly appearance, her skin crawled with disgust until she reminded herself that "it's only Cass."

"Welcome home, I suppose. Doesn't feel like much of a home anymore."

"Not that it was much of a home before," Katarina remarked and drew a glare from the serpentine woman.

"It was when Father was still around. I suppose you have a good reason for not coming home to comfort me," she said as she crossed her arms about her unnatural body.

"Yeah. It's called 'not wanting to,'" can the wryly reply, and Cassiopeia hissed and barred her teeth, preparing an attack. "Oh, come on, Cass! Don't tell you don't know how to take a fucking joke anymore."

"I always forget how poor your sense of humor is," her sister acquiesced. "Though I would still love to hear your lame excuse."

"Someone tried to kill me," Katarina commented with as much nonchalance as she could muster, then picked at the dirt under her fingernail in mock boredom. She had to seem distant from the information, lest it should be spread that she was... afraid.

"You probably deserved it," came a laughed response.

"No, Cass," she said, and something in her voice caught Cassiopeia off-guard. Their banter was perhaps the only way they knew how to communicate with each other, for their lives were so different. Their bedrooms were on opposing ends of the manor, limiting their contact in previous years even more so. But there was something in the way Katarina spoke, or maybe it was something in her eyes, that gave her a moment's pause.

"Was there something different about this one?" she asked, hoping to prompt her sister's tale.

"Yes. This wasn't your typical man in a dark alleyway. No, he sought me specifically and found me. Merely a few days after I received word of Father's... disappearance," she said, unable to voice her thoughts in front of the woman.

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"It's known that no one cared for us, Cass. We were at the top. How many people could stand to gain from our collapse? I think someone was trying to do away with me just as they did with Father. And you could be next."

"Who could even have the power to orchestrate something like-" she gasped mid-sentence as realization donned upon her. "Father's note had the seal of the Black Rose, but I thought that it was meant to be misleading form the true perpetrator. You don't think...?"

"That's exactly what I think. Who else could gain the most out of this power play?"

"But... They would need to know so much about our family to get to us. I have heard rumors that they are located in some underground tunnels. Information from above is the only way to know these things. If what you're saying is true, then there is a traitor in Noxus. Maybe even more than one. Oh gods, how many people...?" she muttered quietly under her breath as the weight of the situation fell upon her mind.

"That's not the problem. I know exactly who it is."

"Wait, you do?"

"But again, that's not the problem. It's _who_ he is that is the issue."

"Who is it?" she asked, her tongue flicking about wildly. Her eyes held a hungry curiosity begging for the answer. Katarina wondered if this is how her sister got many an ambassadors to talk but dismissed the thought. She would have told her anyway, for she could very well be the next target. Besides, better the snake you know than the one you do not.

"Jericho Swain," she replied after a short pause.

"You liar!" she screamed and her arms flailed in Katarina's general direction. "Liar!"

"Cass, calm the fuck down before someone hears you."

"No! I will not calm down while you cry such blasphemy. It's can't be him! He coaxed me while I cried in his shoulder that night, holding me when my sobbing overtook my senses. He offered me the support I desperately needed when no one else cared to. I wasn't a monster to him!"

"Come on now. Use some common sense. Why-"

"Fuck you! Swain would never betray me - our family, I mean - like that! He's been there all along for us! He wouldn't ever do that." In that single slip of the tongue, Katarina finally understood the source of her sister's agony and denial and just how much of a twisted monster Swain was in comparison to her. Her desire to slit his throat somehow tasted sweeter.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" she ventured, though it was more of a statement than a question.

"What, me? No. Of course not!" she quickly sputtered, but the attempt was so pitiful that they both knew the ruse was over.

"He doesn't love you back."

"You're such a cruel bitch, Katarina. Just because your own heart is shriveled like an old woman's nose doesn't mind everyone else's is."

Katarina nearly blurted out a retort but realized the dangerous grounds that would lead them. Instead, she swallowed her pride and allowed the insult to remain unmatched as she pressed forward. "I didn't say you couldn't be loved. I just meant that Swain doesn't love you."

"How could you even know something like that?" she asked, giving Katarina a chance to speak. She was baffled that her sister had willingly stepped away from their combative banter.

"Cold, ruthless logic. The same kind that Swain is fond of. He has much to gain by taking down our family. He might even get a better spot on the Council when they shift people around to make up for the loss of Father. I was afraid you would be a target, but it would appear Swain has valued your talents worth more than your death. By leading you on, he has your wrapped around his finger. You would do anything for him."

"No..."

"Who else is close enough to our family to help the Black Rose utterly destroy us? Who else has the authority and man power to accomplish this? The Black Rose and Swain have common goals, and so he shared all the information needed to help them while he reaps the benefits now."

"Oh no, no, no. Oh shit no..." Cassiopeia quietly moaned as she slid to the floor, and her tail coiled around her body like a security blanket.

"I don't want to believe this either, Cass, but it fits perfectly. There is no other explanation."

"How did you find out?" came a question from within the coil.

"Let's just say I have a reliable source."

"Huh. And I thought all of that of acquiring information went over your head," she remarked sharply, and her head peaked out from the top of her scaled body with a piqued interest.

"I need to watch my own back sometimes."

"I suppose. However, you do realize that bringing Swain down will be next to impossible, right?"

"That doesn't mean I should just stand by and wait for him to try and kill me again. That's utter bullshit. The Council's in a meeting right now, and I have been... _requested,_ to quote them, to join soon. Come with me. With both of us staking the claim, our words will not go unnoticed."

"You are aware that my charms would best in one-on-one interactions, right?"

"Maybe I just want you there with me."

"Yeah, and maybe Demacians lie," the snake-woman retorted but released herself from her tail's embrace to follow Katarina out of the room. As the duo hurried to the meeting room, Katarina tried her best to control her facial twitches that revealed her discomfort. Wordlessly, Cassiopeia slowed her pace and settled her gaze on the various paintings decorating the walls. Katarina almost expressed her appreciation but remembered that it was not Lux who was accompanying her. A sudden longing clenched at her heart as she realized it was unlikely she would see her dear companion within the foreseeable future. As she walked down the corridors she had memorized since early youth, her mind drifted from memory to sweet memory of the times she had spent with the light mage. Every joke, every smile, every kiss filled her breath as she sighed quietly. It amazed her that she knew she would give anything to see her again. The conclusion was a stark comparison to every other "romantic" encounter she had, all of which had been a means to an end for her. Yet Lux was... different. Katarina knew that she was worth fighting for.

Before long, the sister stood before the massive double doors, and, with a single nod to the guards stationed outside, entered the room fashionably late for a noticeable arrival. The conversation at hand lulled and halted at the women appeared. Katarina noticed several familiar faces and a few new ones since she had last attended one of these meetings, though much time had elapsed between these two events. Old men yapping about the the glory days put her to sleep like a lullaby. Of the faces she recognized, she was sure to give a curt nod to each until her eyes locked with a particular pair. They belonged to a man sitting at the head of the table, designated for the most favored. That very chair that had once been her father's was now filled by an abomination greater than her half serpent, half human sister.

"Welcome back, Sinister Blade," Swain greeted heartily, though everyone in the room felt the lack of sincerity. "I am glad you have chosen to join us today. It will give Noxus the morale boost she so dearly deserves. Come, your seat is still reserved for you as always," he said, gesturing to the seat beside him. Back when her father had attended the meetings, she would sometimes sit at his right hand. Now, Swain offered that very seat in a perverted twist of formality.

"Thanks anyway," she gruffly replied. "It feels good to stand again."

"Ah, yes. Your health. Pray tell us that you are swiftly recovering." Faster than the eye could blink, Katarina unsheathed hidden daggers from her hips and threw them in Swain's direction, quickly replacing them once, twice, three times and sent each of those flying at her target. Swain calmly sat still as each blade outlined his body against the back of his chair, a hair's distance away from injuring him. When the display was over, he took a sip of his coffee, nodded, then placed the cup back on the saucer. The rest of the occupants in the room sat dumbfounded, some of which bordered on rage. Cassiopeia attempted to stifle her laughter, but one snicker escaped her lips before she resumed control. Katarina allowed her smug grin to take over her face, for it was a better expression than pain. Thankfully, she knew how to use the muscles in her arms without needing the use of her full body, limiting the shock on her spine. "Most excellent," Swain said, breaking the spell. "I will send a guard to return your missing property once the meeting is adjourned. In the meanwhile, it would greatly interest us all for you to tell us the events that have befallen you since you were last home."

"Well, I fought many battles for the glory of Noxus and proved myself to be the better in the majority of cases. Only when my opponent was too much of a coward to fight me themselves did I lose," she opened, drawing many nods from the Council members. Prowess in battle was ranked high on a list for respect, and the path that Katarina needed to tread required as much of those points as possible before continuing. "Though, I will add, not even then was the case," she grinned, and a handful of faces mirrored her own. "It was after one of these matches that I received word of my father's situation." Her voice carried a somber tone, instantly changing the atmosphere. She kept her eyes locked with Swain's to watch for any signs she could use to her advantage. "Many here want to deny the facts that were given to us and believe he has disappeared. I, however, don't think so. I know he's dead." A few gasps were heard before the room erupted into chaos.

"How could you insinuate something like that?!" many shouted before arguing with one another.

"Please, gentlemen," Katarina said, hoping to bring them back, but no one adhered to her words. The polite approach never seemed to work. "Oh for fuck's sake, shut the hell up already!" she yelled, silencing the whole room. "Alright already. Like I said, I know he's dead. He was terrifying by most accounts in battle. Look at me," she said, gesturing back down the table towards Swain's silver outline. "And this man had to be better than me to teach me. And you think that he went without a fight? That he hasn't come back yet is because... why, exactly? No. He has been murdered."

"If that is so, we should search for the ones responsible!" one man commented.

"I agree. My father gave my sister a note before he vanished that night. On the bottom of the page was a seal of the Black Rose."

"I recall this as well," an older man remarked. "But I thought it to be a hoax to hide their true identity."

"I thought that too, but something else happened to me while I served the League recently," she began, and everyone's eyes tried to capture her own. Swain's twinkled with untold amusement. The sight of his self-assured visage gave her the anger to continue her speech. "I received orders to return to Noxus, but something kept me from coming home that night, as I'm sure you all know by now. What you may not know is that someone tried to assassinate me."

"What?!" Swain interjected theatrically. "Why on earth would anyone want to kill you?" he asked, though only she and her sister detected the coating of sarcasm in his voice.

"I was still on League territory at the time, so no one would dare attack a champion without risking the loss of the League's support. Whoever tried this did not care about the ramifications. They're either certain they can get away with this or they are beyond the need for the League's support."

"I see now what you are hinting at," Swain replied, and his eyes shined even brighter. "You believe there is a link between your father's death and the assassination attempt on your life." Katarina felt as if he was laying a trap for her but could not find where it was hidden.

"I think it's suspicious that a Du Couteau died and then another one nearly died as well."

"As do I!" he exclaimed. "But who on Valoran could hope to orchestrate something like this?"

Taking his disposition in stride, she said, "That's a good question, and I'm trying to work it out myself. Tell me, gentlemen, what you think?" Each man spoke to his neighbor animatedly, eager to digest the new information and make sense of it. All the while, Swain smiled at the assassin.

"Well," the older man from before began, "if they really did exist, that is to say, if they were not of stories told to children, and they were real and could organize, if that's possible from-"

"Get on with it!" someone across the table prompted, drawing quick grins from many in the room.

"If they exist, they why not the Black Rose?" he sourly concluded.

"I'm glad to see your thoughts ran parallel with mine. Maybe the seal wasn't a hoax."

"If that is true, as you say, then why would a secret, nearly mythical, organization want to reveal themselves to the world instead of operating in the darkness?" countered Swain.

"I... don't know," Katarina admitted. "Perhaps to cause chaos and discord, but they want people to know that they can still run Noxus if they wanted, like they used to."

"That is an incredible theory!" he continued. "But I see another hole in it, if I may say. How on Valoran would they know how to contact your father or even find you? To assume the hypothetical that the Black Rose is indeed involved, they would need spies in some rather prominent places, wouldn't you say?" he asked, and Katarina could have sworn that his grin grew by a molar.

"Yes," she stated with a tone of finality.

"So... you mean to say that there is a traitor, here, in Noxus?" a new voice dared to ask.

"That's exactly what I mean."

"That is some rather distressing news, Katarina," Swain said as he smoothly resumed control of the conversation. "I pray that you are wrong in your thinking, but this is a matter that must be taken seriously. Were you able to determine anyone who could have possibly fit this role?" His eyes even grinned back at the woman.

"Actually I do."

"Oh my! That will save us much time and manpower. Please, do not feel afraid to admit your findings to us. We are all committed to Noxus and her glory." Nearly every head in the room nodded as they turned their eyes back to her.

"I say it's you, Swain." The silence that ensued in the room was palpable as each member of the Council tried and failed to wrap their minds around the idea. "Please, listen to me. He had to much to gain by destroying my family. Look where he sits now! He has literally replaced my father in every sense, a position anyone of you could have guessed. Swain has never hidden his ambitions to rise among the ranks. Why is this no different?" Not a soul volunteered to answer.

"My dear Katarina, your words... they hurt. After all I have done for you, for your family, you would repay me like this?" he said, feigning anguish. "Where would you get an idea like this?"

"I have my sources," she cryptically countered.

"And you are positive that they could not be wrong, perhaps? After all, with my new position, your accusation is... rather treasonous, is it not?" he asked and looked to the members of the Council, their eyes not daring to make contact with either him or Katarina.

"I believe my source's credibility, or why have a source at all?"

Swain sighed, long and drawn out, before resuming. "It is a shame that I have no other choice, but for the good will of Noxus, I will bear this wrong as my own and hope you all can forgive me from here onward. Do tell us, Katarina, who exactly this source of yours is?"

"I would like to keep them as a source, so I'd rather not say."

"It would not happen to be Luxanna Crownguard, of the famed Demacian family of Crownguards, would it?" he asked, piercing her with his eyes. Her body stiffened in absolute shock, and breathing became a laborious activity. "Oh, dear Katarina, please tell me I am wrong! I would give anything to be wrong right now," he lamented, though his eyes were a stark contrast of the feeling. "I see that there has been a misunderstanding. I regret to have to inform you like this instead of the privacy of a conversation together, but my honor is at stake before these men and I cannot step away from this." He clapped his hands twice, and a guard entered the room, carrying a piece of parchment in his hands. He offered it to Swain and bowed before exiting. He unrolled the message and, with a brief moment spent to clear his throat, began reading.

_"11 December, 20 CLE. The Sinister Blade stills lives, despite my best efforts. However, her injuries will keep her bedridden for weeks even with the aid of the Starchild. As far as our endeavors are concerned, she is paralyzed and will not be joining the Noxian forces in the near future. I salvaged the situation, and she is not aware that I inflicted her wounds. I understand that the implications of your order heavily suggested outright elimination of the target, but perhaps I can better serve with a steady supply of information. She is a well-spring of knowledge and can perhaps give us vital pieces that can further our efforts. I await further instructions." _

He placed the scroll on the table as his eyes locked with her own once more. She blinked several times as she tried to process all the information and the possible implications of the words. "My dear, Katarina, do you understand what this means?"

"Is that... is that letter real?" she timidly asked, desperately seeking a way to deny.

"As real as you and me."

_ I understand that the implications of your order heavily suggested outright elimination of the target._

"Who all knew I was being cared for Soraka?"

"No one until earlier today. I had to do quite a lot of searching to find you."

_The Sinister Blade still lives, despite my best efforts._

"And that message is dated when, exactly?"

"December the 11th," he eagerly replied.

_She is not aware that I inflicted her wounds._

"It would appear that your _source _was not as credible as you might have believed," Swain commented.

"So... it would seem," she agreed. Images of their times together flooded her mind as she saw with a different pair of eyes the events unfold. Each laugh, each smile, each kiss. She thought back to that night in the tree, and the real events of the night finally clicked within her. _The whole time, she was trying to kill me?_

"It would appear that perhaps your theory is incorrect. However, we cannot forget the implications of this letter and your own words. You have conspired with the enemy and only the gods know what you may have informed them. And let us not forget our recent accusation that I perhaps had a hand in your father's death and your assassination attempt. The first crime alone would have be enough grounds for execution, Sinister Blade." Her hands immediately dropped to her twin daggers sheathed in her belt. She was acutely aware that she could not take on the guards and the veteran soldiers in the room in her current state, but that did not mean she would go down without a fight. "However, I do not believe Katarina should stand trial for this!" he exclaimed, surprising every person listening. "No, she is far too valuable to Noxus to throw her away. Please, gentlemen, I implore you, let us pardon the Sinister Blade. With our forgiveness, Katarina will be more than willing to serve her home through this impending war we will fight. Her talents will be used for redemption, won't they?" he asked, concluding his grand speech. Everyone's eyes bounced back to her as they waited her reply. Her right hand balled into a fist as each memory she shared with Lux tarnished with her new-found understanding. How could she have been such a fool? The longing she had felt earlier now brought bile up throat. _I should have killed her when I had the chance,_ she bitterly thought. _  
_

"I live to serve," she stiffly answered after much time had passed. _And I will have my revenge._


	17. Repercussions

_A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you all for being so patient with me. It's been a bumpy ride, but I think things are panning out. Anyway, sorry for the short chapter upon returning, but I'm already working on the next chapter, which will be quite longer, I assure you. _

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The meeting dragged on for several hours after the dramatic power-play between Katarina and Swain as the generals argued over the smallest details of the pending war. Each man wanted a stab at the glory in addition to not being overshadowed by the room's most prominent players. After Swain had begged for her life, she had had no choice in the matter and was forced to sit beside him in her old chair when her father had once commanded the chamber's attention. While she sat at rigid attention to keep as much pressure off her spine as possible, Swain grinned an insufferable grin any time they made eye contact, which he actively sought often. He was not a man to pass up gloating if the opportunity presented itself. But somehow that could not compare to the penetrating glare of her sister from across the room. Not once did her gaze leave the assassin, causing her to occasionally shift uncomfortably in her seat. Eventually, the old men came to a conclusion about some matter that Katarina had not really been paying much attention to and released everyone from the meeting. She stayed a few steps behind her younger sibling, who desperately slithering away from the chambers. Keeping in pace with the woman was nearly more than the assassin could handle, but her target soon darted into what she thought was the safety of her bedroom. Cassiopeia quickly slammed the door as she entered, but Katarina was still nimble enough to slip in before being shut out.

"Get out now," she hissed, and her tongue violently flicked a mere hand's width away from the assassin's face.

"I need to talk to you," Katarina implored.

"Why? So you can fill me with lies again? Your filth? Even standing beside you in that room made me want to throw myself out the window of our highest floor! You have forever marred the Du Couteau name with your treasonous lies, pardoned or not, and Swain wouldn't even look at me. How could you?" the serpent hissed again. Her eyes held an eerie glow that set the hair on the back of her sister's neck to stand at attention. She had always known her sister's curse had given her a terrible appearance, but it was only then that it occurred to her how deadly her transformation could be.

"I have nothing to gain by lying to you," she coaxed carefully. Now more than ever did she need an ally, but the thought of dueling with the snake made her question whether Cassiopeia was worth the gamble. "No good can come of it. Just listen to me."

"Give another one of your perfect sob stories to remember you by," the snake-woman sneered and flicked her wrist, as if waving her sister aside.

"I had no reason to think Demacia would sink so low, and all the information fit perfectly. Even you thought it sounded plausible earlier."

"You're pathetic. You didn't think a Demacian had a hidden agenda? And had I known the truth of your source, I would have stopped this madness before you destroyed what pride our family could have salvaged."

"I am only trying to get to the bottom of Father's death. I haven't seen you do shit other than bitch and cry," Katarina countered sharply. After mentally cursing, she reminded herself, though more than once, that strangling the last of her family by her own hands would not solve any matters. Why must people care so much about diplomacy?

"That it at least expected of a child when a parent dies instead of consorting with the enemy or accusing the one family friend who could help lift us from this mess of fucking murder! And you decided to charge in with all of the above!"

"You're not a child anymore, Cass. Grow the fuck up. And I didn't tell Lux anything about Noxus and her secrets."

"Then why was her information geared towards helping you discover more about Daddy? You told her he was missing, and thus that we were weakened! That alone will cost us an untold amount of trouble! And why was she so close to you to have known this at all?"

"I had to do something about our family instead of waiting for someone to come out of the shadows and kill me, and she seemed like the kind of woman who could get us the information we needed. That's all."

"Bullshit! Did you not learn Daddy's ideas about being normal, or is that scar not a good enough reminder?"

"That's... not what happened," Katarina growled.

"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't," came the venomous sarcasm. "What would Daddy think when he saw the mess you brought upon us? It pains me to even imagine-"

"He'd be proud of me for hunting for the truth about him, since no one else seems to fucking remember him."

"How dare you! Of course I remember him. I'm grieving for him while you run around and ruin his life's work!"

"Aren't you even curious how he died and who did it?" Katarina said, gritting her teeth. She hoped that perhaps switching her tactics could yield better results with her volatile sister. "She offered an opportunity I couldn't say no to."

"And my, what did an excellent job she did of assisting you."

"I had no reason to think that Demacia would sink so low. Never before have they done something so devious."

"Demacia's very nature is hypocrisy. Every word, every _move_, is loaded with double meanings. They seek to restore order to the land, yet they would destroy us all in their path. They walk with their heads held high while the sun shines down upon them, but when the light is at its faintest, they're as dark as any of us. How noble does that sound to you to wipe out an entire culture just to rule with an unopposed iron fist? How open-minded and flexible does a dictatorship sound? Did you learn nothing in your lessons as a child, or were you too busy staring at the tip of your blade like a halfwit?"

"I can't help it that Father preferred for me to be his right hand than listen to the boring dribble of our teacher."

"I was important to him too! Anyone can be trained to use a blade, but charm and elegance are things you are born with!" As Cassiopeia childishly whined, Katarina came to the realization that maybe her sister was not that important to begin with. She could perhaps fight or defend, but her mobility was severely impaired by her new form. She held no authority nor commanded any units. Politically she existed so as to demonstrate to the public that the Du Couteaus still continued to serve Noxus and allied themselves with Swain. Beyond that, it was only an air of importance and nothing more. Another pointless ally. Dead weight.

"He didn't seem to think so. He told me my talent was priceless," Katarina freely jabbed, and the contortions on her sister's face told her how deep the wound scratched.

"Of course. Who could bother to look at me when precious Katarina was around?" Her tongue danced around the edges of her lips, signaling the fury only barely kept within her tiny frame. "The only time he looked my way was when I was sleeping with every man he pointed at to retrieve information. Like a fucking dog. As soon as the words he wanted to hear left my mouth, I became worthless again to him. And now, you try to take away the only thing left of him I have: his name. I refuse to allow you tarnish any longer, you unnatural fuck. I do not accept you as a Du Couteau. Forever beyond this point, you are dead to me. If we ever cross paths, I will ensure that I make this statement as truthful as possible."

"Go molt your skin. You seem about due. Isn't that what you do instead of the other moon cycle? Pfft, and you call me unnatural!" With a scream not unlike a banshee, the cursed woman lunged at the assassin with her teeth barred and dripping with poison. Reflexes demanded Katarina to leap away from the attack, and she placed trust in her training and obeyed without question. It was only mid-action did the pain remind her how terrible the idea was to twist her spine. A audible crack resounded within the confines of the room followed by the thud of a falling body. Cassiopeia froze in shock as she attempted to process the scene. After blinking for several long moments, she heard a soft groan come from the assassin. "Tell... no one... of this," she sputtered. With thought behind every motion, she slowly brought herself to her knees, then used the nightstand beside her to pull herself to her feet.

"Killing you now would serve no purpose," Cassiopeia said carefully.

"If you speak a word of this to anyone, I swear I'll fucking beat you to your promise and end you," she swore, desperately seeking to regain her illusion and pride, though she was unable to hide her grimace.

"And risk destroying what's left of _my_ name?" her sister laughed coldly. "Not on your life. Get out of my room and leave this house for war immediately so I don't have to see your face anymore."

"Make sure to take out all the mirrors in this room, because I assure you that your face is worst," she sneered and cautiously stumbled to the door.

"Precious Katarina, do take care to die in one of those fancy battles to make your connection to this family sound better. Die for Noxus. And when your body returns, we'd best see no blades or arrows protruding from your back. I don't want to discover whether being associated with an unnatural bitch or a coward is the worst." She opened the door for her dear sister and motioned for to exit. Not wishing to stay longer in a cage with a beast, Katarina took her cue and disappeared around the corner.

She was cautious to not limp when others were in sight, but keeping up the appearance was far more difficult after the pop. As she continued to walk, Katarina discovered the crack had only been a pop to release tension, though it had brought about many new flares of pain. But with each forced step, the assassin noticed a bit of fluidity returning to her movements. Maybe with a little time, a few potions, and possibly a pop or two more -though she would rather avoid that last one of at all possible- she would be back to her former fitness. With this ray of hope restored, she straightened her shoulders and stood as tall as she could muster as she made her way to her own room.

Upon opening her door, she immediately noticed her eight missing daggers protruding from her wall above her bed's headboard and outlining a piece of parchment. "They better not be dulled," she growled under her breath and began the task of removing the mounted note on her wall. As the final blade was removed, she quickly snatched the paper before it fell away.

_"I hope your daggers are as sharp as your common sense. I left a stone for you in your nightstand, as will inevitably be the case. There is also a week's worth of healing potions for you. Your family physician recommended you take them diligently and spaced apart accordingly this time to avoid another near overdose. Be guest, if you would like. However, you still owe me, and I will call upon you, even if I must chase after your soul through the afterlife. Do not doubt the capabilities of those I have in my service. Hell is not so big a place for you to hide. Do sleep well tonight, Katarina, for your unit leaves just before dawn's break, and tardiness will not be tolerated._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Jericho."_

With a yawn, she balled up Swain's message and tossed it in the wastebasket beside her bed. She was only surprised that Swain himself did not come to gloat in person that he had successfully won. While it was true that she owed him her life, there was no reason to be stripped further of her pride. She reached within the drawer and retrieved just one bottle of healing water. With a single large gulp, she downed its contents and tossed it too into the waste basket. Katarina then collapsed in her bed, and an immense relief washed over her. She shifted about her bed until she achieved moderate comfort and closed her eyes. Only a short time had passed before she tried a new position, then another, and then once more. From one side to the other, her stomach to carefully on her back, as was her usual. She kicked the covers off only to later retrieve them. Her right leg itched, followed by her nose. Midst rolling over, her hair caught beneath her body, locking her in place momentarily. She sighed resignedly and tugged her locks free. She lay there, motionless, for a little while longer until she realized with black humor the source of her discomfort: Katarina had grown used to sleeping with another's presence. A soft chuckle fell from her lips as she thought about the destruction Lux had laid to her life. In a flawless execution of moves, the Demacian had effectively led her to her own political suicide, isolated her from what remaining family she had left, and nearly put her out of commission for good. For the cherry on top, the mage had reminded her of things she had grown accustomed to no longer having, such as a companion, only before taking it away. Never experiencing hurt far less than experiencing and losing.

The howling wind outside beat furiously against the window panes, momentarily drawing her from her contemplation. White clouded most of the vision outside, and for a fleeting moment, she wished she was a child again. Every little child's wish was for snow, and tonight a strong storm was hitting Noxus with all its strength. Tomorrow would be a white Snowdown. Instead of rolling up boulders of snow to make beautiful snowmen to fling her daggers at for target practice, Katarina would have to lead a contingent of men through the ice and and wind before the sun had a chance to warm up the land, regardless of whether the weather had calmed. While only the strongest were supposed to persevere according to Noxus's morals, she still felt regret for the lives that would be lost through the journey. They were not fighting enemies to prove their prowess. They would be forced against nature for no reason other than Swain's madness to demonstrate his power, and she was powerless to stop him now. A brief flash of lightning illuminated the world beyond her window, and immediately her thoughts flew to the light mage and the mess she had created.

If she encountered the worm again, she promised herself to revel in the pleasure when she crushed the life out of Luxanna Crownguard. The perfect Snowdown present to herself.

* * *

_A/N: Waddlebuff, darling, you're right as always. Jesus reigning supreme over Valoran would be... strange at best. Thanks for smacking some sense into me!_


	18. To Be a Crownguard

_**A/N: **I couldn't decide if I should have split this up, but it flowed too well to chop anywhere, and the ending was as good of a stopping point as any. Sorry for the wall of text!_

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Lux knocked loudly three times and shivered slightly as winter's breath embraced her. She looked about the estate that she had once known like the back of her hand. But much like how her hand had grown and calloused, her home had changed in the years since her last visit. An oak tree she had planted long ago now towered above with icy branches. She remembered digging the hole with her own hands and how soft the soil felt between her fingers. Her mother had been furious that she had done it by herself, let alone without tools, but Lux refused to be deprived of the simple pleasure of planting her own tree. Watching clumps of snow tumble from the branches, she felt glad she had stood by her idea. The patio table and chairs had been all but covered in a fine layer of snow. She recalled the last time she had been there while drinking tea and watching the sunrise with Garen. The two had stayed up all through the night talking. A memory of far simpler times they had shared without knowing the clock had been ticking away so quickly... Her recollection blurred out the topics, much to her disappointment, but the feeling of being connected with her brother still resonated within. She hoped he and his men were warm during this terribly cold storm. She knocked again and paused so as to not appear rude or urgent regardless of the wind, and though she tried, her mind began to wander once more. Her favorite rosebush had been stripped away and replaced by a barren mound of white. The plant had been old when she had last visited, so it should not have been much of a surprise, but she could not help but wonder what other traces of her had been removed during her absence. Lux gave another round of knocks as she wondered how much the inside of her home had changed. Could she still walk by the furniture with her eyes closed? Were her baby pictures with Garen still hanging on the walls? Was her room still there or was it just another guestroom now?

"Luxanna?" came a muffled gasp from behind the front door, followed by several metallic clicks before the door cracked open.

"Samuel!" she exclaimed while beaming her trademarked brilliant smile. The door creaked fully ajar, and the old man ushered Lux within. As the man embraced her tightly, she suddenly became aware that not only the house had changed. The skin on his hands hung loosely about his bones, and dark freckles decorated here and there about his knuckles. His shoulder-length, salt-and-pepper hair had been chopped off to a mere finger's length, revealing far more salt than pepper in his roots than she recalled. As they pulled away from one another, she became aware of his slight hunch and faded picture-perfect posture. It donned her on then why it had taken so long for anyone to answer her knocks

"Ah, Miss Crownguard. It does my heart good to see you again," he said with a kind smile that lit up his aged face. "This is a wonderful surprise. Had I known you would be joining us for the Snowdown, we would have prepared a small feast in your honor."

"Oh, no, there is no worry, dear Sam. This was meant to be a surprise. Had you been cooking up a feast, there would have surely been questions, no? How could I sneak in and surprise Mother then?" she playfully giggled, but her eyes did not carry the sentiment. With a nearly imperceptible pause in the dialog, the manservant's observant gaze settled on her and noticed a few details seemed out of place about her unexpected return.

"A Snowdown surprise? Then perhaps we should take you through the Western Wing to the staircase. Encountering her would be most undesirable... for the sake of her gift, I mean," Samuel agreed. Where her eyes had dulled, the man's twinkled with untold amusement, and for a moment Lux found solace in the idea that perhaps not everything had changed. "Do allow me the honor of being your escort today, Miss Crownguard."

"Samuel, it would be _my_ honor to be your charge for the day," she answered with a slight bow of her head.

"As I am sure you remember, right this way, my dear," he gestured to the left and proceeded to walk two full strides before her, as was custom. As they left the foyer, Lux found herself haunted, assaulted even, by visions of the past. Childhood portraits of herself and Garen hung about the walls with a film of dust covering the brilliant hues. More so, not a single one depicted them of a more mature time. Both the Crownguard heirs were permanently trapped as children frame after frame. A momentary lapse in perception nearly caused her to trip on the curving-outward corner of the hallway rug, embedded with the family crest every few paces. Lux remembered a previous time the rug had caught her, though it had been many years ago. She had received news of Garen's return from the Academy and raced down the hall to greet her beloved brother, only to fall face-first to the floor. While she had struggled to regain her composure and not cry, giant arms lifted her from the ground and up to Garen's smiling face.

"Miss Crownguard?" Samuel asked quietly, returning Lux to the present. "Are you alright?"

"I am quite alright, Sam. I am weary from my journey, and would you believe I had nearly forgotten to be careful near this spot?" she answered with a forced chuckle. She hoped her words were enough to keep the perceived man from prodding her further. The recent events had left her feeling... vulnerable. She found herself unsure how far her tongue would carry on before she had the chance to stop it, especially with Samuel. He had been the one to help her pack her bags for the Academy that night so many years ago...

"Ah, the memory does tend to fade when you get older, Miss. I should know," he finally replied and gestured to his head.

"Old? Why you do not look a day over forty!" she exclaimed, playfully swatting at the man.

"How you flatter me..." he softly said before turning around to continue escorting her. As his back came into view, Lux silently released a sigh of relief and followed Samuel's footsteps. At the end of the hall stood a grand marble archway, chiseled with tiny flourishing swirls and budding flower blooms begging to open for the first time. The sculptor had been inspired by the four seasons and modeled all the pieces of the West Wing after spring while the East Wing was fall. The summer and winter seasons belonged to another noble Demacian family estate. As a child, she had enjoyed the themes of death and rebirth hidden throughout the house, though she kept the thoughts to herself. Her mother had chided her more than one for entertaining "such morbid ideas."

The archway led to another foyer, though smaller, with an elaborate split staircase, and a massive family portrait hung between the two. An innocent Lux sat happily atop Garen's shoulders while her parents flanked the young man with one-armed embraces. She stood for a moment to appreciate the long-lost memory the canvas had captured before following Samuel to the left once more. Placing her hand on the smooth banister etched with fluttering hummingbirds, more scenes from the past wiggled their way into her mind. So full of life the carvings had once seemed to a young Lux that she more than once had daydreamed that they would rise from the banister and fly away from the manor. While she was now old enough to tell the difference between possible and fanciful magic, she wondered if the theme could be applied to her too. She had fallen so far with her recent mission that it could mean the end of her career, along with other consequences. She had failed her city and family when they had needed her most, and went so far as to consort with the enemy. But like the humming bird, would there be a spring for her? A chance to redeem?

At the top of the staircase was a small balcony to connect to the other half, and each led to yet another hallway. Anticipation coiled within her stomach as she advanced to the final step and shadowed her escort down what had once been her hallway. Samuel stopped at the first door on the right, then withdrew the master key from his pocket. He unlocked the door quietly, then turned to face his charge. "Here we are, Miss Crownguard. The room has gone through some light remodeling and redecorating, but you will find still holds a familiar smell to it," he said before bowing to Lux.

"Thank you, Samuel. It will be wonderful to sleep in my own room again. This was so very thoughtful of you," she beamed.

"I thought you would enjoy it best along with the idea of privacy. Since your departure, not many have reason to travel to this side of the manor."

"I see. Thank you once again," she replied, and her eyes smiled with understanding the unspoken message.

"Of course, Miss. There are blankets in the armoire should you feel a chill tonight. Sleep well and pleasant dreams."

"And you sleep and dream well, my dear friend," Lux reciprocated and gave a small head bow of her own before closing the bedroom door behind her. Squinting her eyes nearly shut, she could somewhat make out the outline of a bed against the left wall while a dresser sat opposite to it. Heeding Samuel's words, she threw away her caution and conjured a small pebble-size orb of light in the palm of her hand, and what had once been fuzzy, dark outlines became full-figured furniture. To her fleeting disappointment, they were not the same ones as when she had once called this her room. The mattress was a smaller model and the headboard was crafted of dark mahogany, as opposed to her pearl-white one. The dresser was part of the matching set as well, but as she shifted her hand, the light reflected off an object atop it. She approached the armoire and reached to the back where she fingers clasped a picture frame. Curiosity guiding her, she pulled it closer and quietly gasped as she recognized the photograph. Standing beside a short, beady-eyed man was Lux in her graduation attire, shaking the president's hand and receiving her Academy papers. She gaped at the picture for a long while as she tried to understand the implications. Her parents had not attended her final moments at the Academy, nor had she sent pictures back home. Someone must have gone out of their way to acquire this photo. She placed the frame back in its place before investigating the rest of the room.

"I wonder..." she whispered under her breath, and she dropped to her stomach and crawled under the bed. Dust rushed to greet her eyes and nose, and despite her best efforts, she sneezed loudly. She remained undeterred and searched with her fingernails for a corner of the floor that did not quite match up. Memory served her well, and her nail sunk between two wooden planks. Lux quickly pried the board out and away and reached down into a small cubby. The first few moments yielded nothing, and as the time stretched, she worried that perhaps the area had been discovered by another. Before the fear could truly settle in, she felt the little chest at the bottom of the pit. With another sneeze, she pulled the container free of the hole and, after the dust calmed, popped open the latch. Old treasures glittered back at her from within the box. A small, yellowing family photograph of the large portrait at the staircase lay beneath a red, yellow, and blue palm-sized balls. She withdrew them from the container and examined them sharply before placing them on the floor. With two simple waves of her hand, the balls began to juggle, much like the circus performer had done those years ago. Where she had struggled to keep the balance perfect she now could keep them going as a background task while she pulled out more trinkets of her past. After a few more giggles and sneezes, she at last held her dairy. The tiny book felt so heavy, and for a long while she did not have the strength to open it. The pages she had written she had locked away to the furthest corner of her mind. To venture within would unlock those demons. Was she strong enough? Lux glanced at the perfect cycle the juggling balls had made with very little focus. After two deep breaths, she flipped open the cover and dived in.

The first handful of entries went slowly as she tried to remember what her younger self had been referencing to, let alone what her terrible penmanship must have meant, but page after page went by as Lux walked through visions of her past. Many were the moments that old events took on new light, some good while others... not so good. She discovered sometimes that she knew the answers to old questions, but others remained just as elusive. Her body soon begged her to reposition and distribute her weight off her elbows, so, with her childhood in hand, she crawled back out from under the bed and sat her back against the frame. The dust flew about her face, stirring a full round of sneezes from her raw nose, but once things quieted, she shined the light back to the last handful of pages, the part she had dreaded the most: her forced departure. Wrinkles and blurred ink revealed old tears, and she bit her lip in an effort to stifle new ones. Even after time had tried to soothe close the wound, Lux could still feel it keenly. _"When you feel the pain in your heart when looking upon an empty chair at the table, a child should be made to bring more joy,"_ she read._"A child gives you the chance to share the warmth in your heart and brighten your dark days. A child is a ray of light. A child is not_ _an old toy to pass on when you are bored with it_._How dare you give us up_ _without a second thought. What kind of parent does this?! 'It's what it means to be a Crownguard,' they tell me, but it's a load of bullshit!"_Lux took a quick break from her reading to regain her composure. She had discovered, to her dismay, that the fury had never died away but instead smoldered through the years. For a brief moment, she considered rushing to her parents' room and demanding answers. Rationally, she knew that such a conversation would never go well, for it was the middle of the night and they did not even know she had even returned. She brushed away the urge with a sigh, but the burning desire stayed nonetheless. One of the juggling balls dropped to the ground, and another batch of dust battered as her senses, to which she loudly replied.

After the sound of her sneeze had quieted, she heard a series of footsteps echoed down the hall and quickly approached. Lux froze in place and recalled Samuel's gait, but the agility made it clear it was another. The steps stopped before her door, and she heard a woman's voice mumble, "Was it from here?" With practiced speed, Lux waved her hands through the air and bent the light about her body to shield her from preying eyes and tossed the book beneath the bed just as the handle jiggled free. Nearly choking on her panic, she almost forgot to dissipate her pebble of light, but she made it vanish as the door creaked open. She stood rigid against the dresser wall in hopes of not being bumped into by the intruder. Much to her surprise, however, it was not a simple intruder, though in ages past, they might have been. Long, greying hair bounced around the sagging shoulders as a woman looked about the supposedly empty and dark room. Her eyes looked right at Lux, but the lack of recognition in her eyes told Lux her spell had held. Within moments, the woman picked up the picture frame a mere hands' length away from Lux's nose. "I had hoped," the woman whispered in her breath before heavily sighing and replacing the photograph. Lux, whose talent and career revolved around reading people, was shocked when she heard the soft hiccups of tears coming from her mother. Lilia sat on the corner of the bed and held her face within her hands as the sobbing took hold of her. _She... missed me? But it was she who adamantly pressed for..._ It was then that the events leading to her departure had finally taken a new light.

_"It is all in the King's name..."_

Guilt replaced every instance of bitterness. There had never been a choice for Garen, for herself, for her parents. _"It's what it means to be a Crownguard,"_they had said to her, a tone of finality. She had thought it a way to keep her from arguing, but it was tinged with their own regrets. _"To be a Demacian noble, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to protect her, even sacrifice yourself for her cause. Anything less is treasonous,"_Garen had once mentioned to her, but even with her so-called superior intelligence, she had never placed those words with the correct meaning before now. She had spent year after year nurturing her grudge until she had trembled, using its force to fuel her drive through her excellence. And all along, it had been misdirected...

Lilia took deep breaths to steady her composure as she stood back up. Lux held her own breath as the woman seemed to look right at her again. It was not Lux that she stared at, she realized, but rather the graduation photo beside her. The older woman quietly sniffed away her tears and left, clicking the door closed behind her. So dumbfounded was Lux that she did not even bother to drop her spell of invisibility, though not a soul was about to hide from. She briefly entertained the thought of running after her mother and, and... she did not know what else. It had sounded far better in her head before she had tried to capture it with words.

In an effort to combat the swirling storm in her own head, her mind interrupted her emotions with a reminder that there was a task at hand. She was called back to Demacia for a reason, and it was not for a house call. Before any more childish fantasies intervened, she cast another spell and ran her hands over her body, encasing herself in a magical bubble. Flicking aside the latch, Lux unlocked the window and opened it wide enough to slide herself out. While still hanging by the window sill, she murmured another spell, and gravity released its powerful hold over her, allowing her to float instead. She gently closed the window before lowering herself to the ground. She had never mastered the art of moving while floating, as opposed to changing altitudes, but she did not mind. Flying would remove the challenge - and fun - out of her tasks, or what little she could glean from them, so she did not find it to be too great of a loss.

The winter storm's wind howled about her, whipping her hair this way and that way, but she did not feel the chill of its embrace. The magical bubble acted as a ward against ice, and while only temporary, it was more than enough to last through her outing. As she took her first step, her boot sunk deep into the snow with a crunch. For a moment, she paused to consider the consequences of being discovered by something as stupid as footprints showcasing her destination as well as fleetingly regret her earlier remarks about flying. Whether it was through good fortune or ill, the wind howled again, and flakes fell from the sky with renewed fury. With some measure of luck, any trace of Lux would disappear within the hour, and with that gamble - and no other choice - she quickly stalked about the grounds of the estate, confident that her invisibility would keep her from preying eyes just as the darkness and snow would cover her trail. It was not long before she reached the locked gates of the grounds, but like she had done earlier that night, with another whispered incantation, she once more freed herself of gravity's hold and floated upwards. With a pull and push of her arms, she sailed over the tips of the pointed gates and landed on the cobblestone road. The Public Safety Committee of Demacia had met some years ago and agreed unanimously that at the beginning of winter the members would meet to cast a powerful spell to keep the roads clear of frost and ice. While the preparation and casting of the spell would take many hours and stretch long into the night, the number of injuries and filled hospital beds during the season for weather-related accidents had dramatically decreased almost immediately. So when Lux landed with her full weight and made with due haste down the road, she did not fear her boots sliding about slick stones or perhaps not catching sight of an ice patch in time. Her only worry would be that some passerby would not be safely tucked in bed at that hour.

Luck was on her side, as it turned out, and her journey into the heart of Demacia proved quiet as the wind had calmed a bit, though the snow had not. Even so late into the night, the Center still had a bustling feel to it, though only the evening shift guards on their patrol and the occasional merchant fluttered about the streets. While she was more than confident that her illusions would hold, even against magical scrutiny, the men on duty had been required to attend several years of intense training at the Academy, and their lessons drastically sharpened the pupils' attention to detail. Their job was to protect the King and the very security of Demacia, after all. Lux could bend the light away from her body, but an observant pair of eyes might notice if an unusual shadow did not belong to a particular object within sight... Even if darkness surrounded them, she still kept to the shadows of buildings and trees and far away from the reaches of the street lamps and paths of the patrol units. Her employer would be most displeased if she made yet another mess of her assignments.

She waited until a patrol turned off the pathway before sprinting as silently as she could up the hill towards the largest building of the Center. Two guards stiffly stationed outside the main door were all that technically separated her from getting within, though the area was probably swarming with patrols. She crouched behind a bush so as to not have a unit trip over her invisible form in the middle of the road. The rounds of the guards took them within sight of the pair before the door, proving her prior assessment correct, and so Lux began counting. _One, two, three, four..._The next patrol walked by and then the third. The fourth one, however, she noticed it was the same group that had originally passed. The unit comprised of three men with an unusually tall member flanked by the other two, causing the trio to be rather distinctive. She began counting once more, measuring their speed, the length of their strides, how quickly they moved. The guard on the left talked quite animatedly to his companions, though he did put effort into keeping his voice low. Of all the guards, they would be most likely to not notice small details. She waited until they walked out of sight and counted steadily again until the second group arrived, and repeated the process as the third came into view. Each unit was exactly one hundred and two steps between each other, but their varying strides carried some groups further ahead or behind, as was the case with Unit Three, causing a slightly larger gap between the rounds. That was exactly the window of opportunity Lux had scouted for.

As Unit One came around the bend, she opened her mental book of magic phrases and spells to search for the right tools for the job. By the time she had formed the sentence in her mind and rehearsed the nuances of the sounds she would make to perfection, Unit Two approached. She carefully gauged how much energy would be required for this task, and to her irritation, it would probably leave her too exhausted to leave the building once she was complete... unless she gave up a spell already using her strength. She cursed silently to herself at her limited choices, but she had to do what was required of her. Just as Unit Two walked beyond her hiding point, she stepped behind them and slinked halfway between them and the stationed pair at the door, leaving her very close to the path of the following patrol. With much reluctance, she dispelled her ward of ice, and immediately her teeth began to chatter. Wearing light clothing made it easier for matters of stealth but did little for protection from the cold, and Lux felt the full brunt of the winter's storm. She tried to be thankful that the wind had stopped howling, but her optimism was out on break. Getting back on track, Lux began her chant as quietly as she could, though she feared the pair might hear her anyway. Distance is a key element of magic, and the further the target was from the caster, the more energy was expended. Given her limited reserves, she needed to be as close as possible, yet her spell was not one she was quite accustomed to and required a verbal component. Her teeth clicked together so quickly that she even had to begin the spell again for fear of accuracy. She did not want to accidentally hurt these innocent people. Unit Three slowly approached behind her, but she could hear from their voices that they were deep into their conversation and still a considerable distance away, enough to talk over her own mutterings and chatterings. She could keenly hear each step coming closer and closer, though, and she tried to keep her voice steady as she chanted. With the final word, she felt a rather large bit of her strength punched out of her as it surged towards the doormen. The once proud-postured guards slumped ever so slightly with their heads drooping down to their chest. She prayed to the gods above that she had not killed them before dashing to the pair.

Without bothering to check first, she knew the door would be locked, and so she searched the guard to her right first for the key. She checked almost every crevice before switching targets. Lux was painfully aware Unit Three was about to come around the corner in a matter of steps, but the key still eluded her. Swearing so angrily in her head that Katarina would have been proud, she searched the first guard again in case she had perhaps overlooked something in her haste and panic. A silver glint came from the man's neck, and she reached over to grasp a chain. The guard's necklace was visible beneath his armor, thanks to his slouching posture, and Lux tugged the chain over the man's head to find the key attached. She shoved the key into the door and unlocked it, creaking ajar just enough to place her foot between it and the frame. Lux threw the chain back around the guard's neck and tucked it back under his armor as she slipped into the room, closing the door as gently and quietly as possible. Taking several deep breaths to gain a small measure of energy, as well as to ease her conscience, she stood beside the door, listening. _Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine..._

"Gary? Delvin?" a muffled voice asked from outside. Footsteps drew closer as Unit Three approached the pair, and despite Lux's prior thoughts of regaining her strength, she found herself holding her breath as she waited. "Guys? What's wrong?" the voice asked again.

"Mmmwhaaa?" a groggy second voice responded, and Lux sighed with relief.

"Delvin, wake up. You're on duty, for fuck's sake," quipped a sharp third voice.

"Wha... what? When did I...?" Delvin muttered quietly.

"The two of you fell asleep. If Commander Fortwin had seen you, he would have beat your hides for sure, and that's before assigning you prison duty for the rest of the winter!" said the first voice, but Lux stopped listening. Her chattering teeth had not interfered with the casting of the spell after all, and both men took a quick reprieve from their station with a little nap. She did not bother with regret that they had been caught by their fellow guards for she had too little time and energy to devote to them, but she was grateful to know that her hasty attempt at an unknown spell at gone off perfectly, all things considered.

She breezed through the maze of hallways with familiarity and sneaked past guards with relative ease. She began to feel that the worst was finally over as she traveled further through the corridors until she arrived before the designated door. A soft glow emanated under the door. No guards were stationed. She was expected, unsurprisingly. She turned the knob with feigned confidence and strolled into the room while finally dropping her spell of invisibility. There was no need for it anymore. As she pressed the door closed, a man continued to scratch away at a parchment with his quill without even glancing at her. She approached the center of the room and stood at attention until she was addressed, as a good solder is supposed to do. Her patience was not tested that night, thankfully, and shortly the man's head lifted up.

"Lux," he spoke.

"Sir," she quickly replied in addition to a nod of her head. Their eyes locked in an intense stare, and Lux desperately tried to keep her poise. The connection was broken with a sigh from the man as he held his head with his left hand.

"You sure know how to make a shit storm," he said.

"If I do something, I do it well... sir," she retorted, and the corners of his mouth turning upward flickered over his face before being replaced by his usual stern demeanor.

"Drop the 'sir,' as we have too much to discuss to deal with formalities." He rubbed his temple with his thumb, as if trying to get rid of a throbbing headache. Lux had no doubt her presence was strongly correlated with its onset.

"Understood," she replied, biting off the typical "sir" at the end to appease him.

"What the hell happened, Lux?" he asked directly. "You had a job, a commitment. Many pretty words came out of your mouth last time you were before me, and I graciously let you sway me. You return not only empty-handed but also compromised. We have a unsecured war on Demacia's doorstep, and your promises look rather hollow now. So, again, what the hell happened?"

"It's not as terrible as it sounds - "

"I'm rather aware of how it sounds, but I want to know how it _is_. Do not attempt to dodge my questions, Luxanna, for you are walking about the thinnest part of the frozen lake about now, and I'm wondering why I should not let you simply fall in."

"My lord -" she began, but he _tsked_ at her with the click of her tongue, reminding her of his previous command. "While Katarina is, in fact, still alive, the chances of her playing a significant role in the war are very slim. Even with the constant aid of Soraka, arguably the most gift healer in Valoran, for several days, the Sinister Blade felt pained to move even her pinky not to long ago. The assassin prowling the grounds of a war front will be unlikely. Tactically, she is a weak point to be up and center. She may skitter on edges, but her contributions will be small in comparison to our original fears."

"Going to glaze over your failure and dress up it with optimism?"

"It seemed like the best option at the time."

"How much of it is bullshit? Covering your ass could create flaws in our plans, so think carefully about your answer. Demacia is to be protected at all costs," he warned.

"Not one bit," Lux immediately replied. "I cannot guarantee Katarina's presence will not exist during the war, as wars tend to last a long measure of time, but her condition is too severe to participate actively as a commanding leader."

"Then what have you to say about giving Noxus more than enough grounds to call upon allies to 'save' them from the 'traitorous Demacians,' seeing as gods know how many letters were intercepted?"

"Who's to say they didn't create the letters themselves? As far as most people are aware, Noxus picks the fights and Demacia attempts to end them. We have yet to start any of these interactions, and Noxus has been dying to get rid of us. Sudden they have proof to prove that _we_are the underhanded, filthy liars? They may have difficulty selling that point."

"Again, Lux, with those pretty words of yours..."

"Outright elimination of the target would have brought upon far more problems than it would have solved. The investigation, the insinuations and potential charges, Demacia's affiliation with the League," she rolled off reasons and hoped that in collaboration they weighed enough for her commander. They were all truths but perhaps not the biggest one. "In this circumstance, Katarina will have to offer her own head on a plate by admitting to meeting secretly with an enemy or swallow her pride and lamely state she fell from a tree. Either option leaves her standing diminished, and even if she did confess to the former and she is not executed on the spot, the generals of Noxus will want to keep that information quiet or else risk ruining the reputation, and thus the use, of their assassin. My words may be pretty, but they are sharp and full of points," she concluded with a wink.

"Please keep your puns to yourself. You are the brightest soldier we have here. You can break through our security without a sweat, run intellectual circles around our advisers, and yet you always bring me the most complicated of situations to my table. It must be in your blood," he commented off-handedly, and Lux physically bit her tongue to keep it still. It was clearly a retribution jab for her terrible pun.

"I technically accomplished my mission, though."

"So, completed half a mission? And so I suppose I should do half an execution? A person is either alive or dead. There is very little in between ground, and please do not bring up necromancy, Lux, for I have a large enough headache. How would you tread through this matter, if you were me?"

"How about you technically write in the books that it happened but it never really happens?"

"That Katarina must have been a terrible influence over you for you to have even suggested such a thing. You know as well as I do that I can't do that. You had a job, and you somewhat failed it."

"But I also mostly accomplished it!" she argued passionately. "Perhaps not in the way that it had been imagined, but I was never given direct orders about how to complete my orders. In light of this accomplishment and my spotless track record of excellence, I believe I should have a second chance."

"A second chance? Oh, why won't you become politician for Demacia?" he chuckled rather coldly. "And what makes you think you are deserving of a second chance? You have just about screwed us in a number of ways."

"I will earn it through my continuing excellence, of course. I wish to enlist and fight in the war," she continued undeterred, and the man's laughing was suddenly silenced.

"After all that paperwork to dodge your service to become a full-time champion?"

"Yes. I will give my life for Demacia and continue to represent her... _if_it means I completely accomplished those last orders and thus fulfilled your requirements for the deal," she said boldly.

"You are aware that I am being extremely lenient as is to not have _you_ executed where you stand, correct?"

"I am aware that you are a smart man with many tasks that need to be completed, and I have skills that can get those things done."

"You are also aware that this is what we wanted all along, correct?"

"As I said, I believed it to be the best option available."

"This war is payback for all the times Noxus has wronged us. _The Excursion_, Kalamanda's riot, the ambushes... Long has the time passed that we should have acted and taken care of this menace. See to it that this war is a success, and you will get what you desire," the man promised. She knew without doubt that he meant every word he said, including the new terms for their deal.

"Do we have to win the war in order for this to be so?" Lux questioned and was met with an incredulous stare.

"How else can a war be a success, Luxanna? Stop looking for loopholes again," he retorted condescendingly.

"A mutual peace? If perhaps both sides call off the war, thousands of lives are saved, and that is a success in of itself," she offered.

"Perhaps the political scene is not for you after all if you can even entertain such fanciful thinking, but I'll humor you and allow the possibility to exist."

"Thank you, my lord," she replied with a bow.

"You are dismissed," he said, accentuating the command with a wave of his hand. When the Crownguard mage disappeared and the door mysteriously opened and clicked closed, the man reached for a bottle of whiskey and a small glass from the little cabinet beside his desk. He poured himself modest drink, yet after a few moments of thought doubled the amount. In one large gulp he downed the contents and sighed again. "The amount of shit that you bring with you..." King Jarvan III mumbled under his breath before he resumed finishing the paperwork at his desk.


	19. Tearing Down Perceptions

_**A/N: **So, on a whim, I checked out my story's rating with all League fanfictions created to date here, and for follows and favorites, it is in the top five (top 15 for reviews)! This was absolutely astounding. Thank you all so very much for reading and enjoying my work! I appreciate this so very, very much. I can't stop blushing and smiling like a moron. You guys are the absolute best :D_

* * *

Much like the night before, Lux knocked several times, but this time waited patiently for Samuel to reach the front door of the estate. The sun's rays reflected off the snow that hardened to ice during the night's cold, and while the first few moments the view had been beautiful, even she had to turn away from the brilliant glare. She did not have to wait much longer before the door opened before her and a twinkling pair of eyes greeted her own. Lux smiled in reply.

"Samuel? Who is it?" a woman's voice sounded from within the estate.

"Are you sure?" the manservant whispered, and Lux merely nodded. "Is that... is that you, Luxanna?" he asked dramatically, his voice swelling with volume.

"Samuel!" she exclaimed loudly and engulfed him in an embrace, just as they had planned. While the situation felt absolutely ridiculous, Lux had to be properly announced to the house before entering or else it would raise many questions about how she had gotten in unnoticed. Not only did she not want Samuel to potentially get in trouble, but she also did not want to give her mother the idea that perhaps she had been present in the bedroom last night. Matters would get even further complicated if she had to explain why she had hidden to begin with, and that topic was confidential even from her own family. Samuel always had an understanding for when certain matters should not be touched or questioned, and he went along with her request without trouble. So while the duo's dialogue had been constructed several hours before, her hug had been genuine. Of all the people in her life, Samuel was by far the least complicated. "It is so wonderful to see you again!" she said with joyful exuberance.

"And a pleasure to see you, Miss Crownguard. Please do come in before you catch a chill. Your mother would be furious if I allowed such a thing to happen," he chuckled and ushered her within the home. "Madam, Lady Luxanna has come to pay us a visit, and just in time for our Snowdown celebration, no less!"

"And she did not even bother to give us any notice? How typical," the woman snorted what she had thought was perhaps to only herself, but Samuel and Lux heard rather clearly and exchanged worried glances. As the two left the foyer and headed to the right wing's living room, Lux's stomach flipped with anticipation and anxiety. Breaking into Demacia's palace through the front door in the middle of a freezing snowstorm, reaching one of the most guarded targets in Valoran without raising alarm, bartering for a second chance to right her failures and uphold her agreement, and sneaking right back out all paled in comparison to greeting her mother for the first time since her revelation. Should she let her know that she finally understood? Apologize for being so childish after all these years? Hug her tightly and never let go?

"Look smart," Samuel whispered, drawing her back from her racing thoughts. As they reached the end of the hallway, Lux threw her shoulders back and raised her chin up a notch while patting her hair into submission behind her back. Quickly she smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes to appear more conscientious, but years of habits would not be defeated in a matter of moments. Moderately irritated with how ill-prepared she felt, she took a deep, not very calming breath and pressed forward into the living room.

"I see you have returned. Welcome," Lilia greeted. Her voice sounded bored, and she did not even bother to turn her head as duo entered. Lux put on her best smile and hoped her eyes would follow the motion.

"Thank you, Mother. It is a joy to return from the Institute long enough to celebrate the holidays with my family. I apologize for the short notice, but I was surprised by their generosity only recently and had to travel immediately to take advantage of my reprieve. I will try harder next time to have a proper announcement of my arrival in the future." Lux bowed with her closing statement, and the motion drew a twitch her of mother's nose in annoyance. For years, Lilia chided Lux to curtsy like the young woman she was supposed to be, lest she disgrace the Crownguard name with her behavior. However, after being in the service of the military and constantly surrounded by men, curtsying was regarded as silly and weak, and she had long ago left the mannerism behind to prove she was more than what her delicate-looking form suggested. Even with the justification, Lux still winced at her mistake. This scene was certainly not going nearly as well as she had planned.

"I suppose there is nothing that can be done about it now. Do make yourself at home," she said sharply, and internally, Lux winced again. It was a phrase you told a guest, not family. Where was the woman I saw last night, she lamented as she sat in the love seat across from Lilia. "Samuel, be a dear and fetch us some tea."

"Right away, Madam," he swiftly replied, knowing a dismissal when he saw one. The room became stiff and chilled, though unrelated to the weather outside, and the women could hear the manservant's footsteps echoing down the hall with clarity. Lux tried not to show her discomfort, but the stillness unnerved her. Was she supposed to initiate the conversation or wait until spoken to? The woman was no taller than Lux, but she felt far more intimidated by her than even the King.

"So the League issued a leave of absence for you?" Lilia asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, yes. They realized I had yet to take any time for myself in the past year, and by law I am supposed to have several days of off time, sickness unaccounted for," she answered cheerfully.

"And of all places to travel, you decided to come back home for a visit?" To others not trained to notice speech patterns, that sentence would have sounded ordinary enough, but Lux caught the slight tone of suspicion embedded in those words._  
_

"It has been a long while since I have returned here, and I thought it would be a good idea to see my family once more. Besides, I would not wish the public to believe I was actively avoiding my home, would I?"

"Ah. I see. Appearances," the older woman replied and nodded, and Lux felt a bit of the tension coiled in her chest release. "I am glad at least one of my lessons rubbed off on you," and her voice held an inkling of sarcasm. Lux was about to return the verbal poke when she finally caught sight of her mother's eyes. Tired and aging. For a while, Lux had wondered if she had truly seen the woman sobbing only the night before or had it been a vivid dream, but her expression was not matching her words. Had that always been so?

"I may forget my manners sometimes, but I assure you that I recall a number of your lessons, Mother. I just may not always follow them," she joked with a wink, earning a scowl from across the way. But for a fraction of a moment, the gaze was half-hearted, as if she was... amused.

"My ladies, your tea is here," Samuel announced as he entered the living room, tray in hand. "I had already been warming up a pot for your mother, so I hope enjoy your tea black, Miss Crownguard." He placed the tray on the table between the two women and put a cup and saucer before each. A cup of sugar remained on the tray.

"Thank you, Sam," she said sweetly. He nodded before leaving the room once more. Lux quietly sipped at her tea while her mother adjusted the flavor. It was almost scalding hot, and the taste was harsh, but she hoped it could serve as an excellent distraction from the uncomfortable silences. Perhaps if the conversation went very sour, she could excuse herself from the room for some reason related to the tea. Even so, that route would be a last resort as that would effectively eliminate any chance she had of gaining answers.

"I thought you disliked your tea black," Lilia remarked casually as she dropped a second sugar cube into her own cup.

"It was far simpler this way than forcing poor Sam to make a pot just for me."

"Then you had best not waste it," the woman smiled, and again Lux felt extremely uncomfortable with her environment but reminded herself of her reasons for going through with this. It was only speculation that led her to believe her parents had been forced somehow to throw their children into military service but not quite a concrete answer. It sounded almost like a childish fantasy, but she felt there was nothing to lose by exploring the idea. Should the discovery prove false, nothing was changed and she had entertained the wild flight of fantasy that was perhaps induced by a high amount of stress. But should it prove positive, there were a number of implications at stake. She had already explored her guilt of harboring such a powerful grudge against people that may have been innocent, but it was still too dark and daunting to think about what it meant about her employer, the King. How trustworthy could he be if he ordered such things? Had she been blinded about other reasons for her work for him? Or was it Demacia herself that was responsible, who strips children away from their homes and throws them to the mercy of soldiers, who steals away their innocence, who crushes their souls? "When it becomes most convenient for you, please do return to the present," Lilia commented, her voice still as sharp as before. Lux sat motionless, caught between her choices. If she directly addresses the matter, Lilia can simply deny it all. If she does not get an answer, Lux could very well be chasing after ghosts.

"My dearest apologies, Mother. It would seem I have my head caught up in thinking once again," she lightly chuckled before sipping her tea again.

"What has perplexed my daughter so this time?" she asked as she sipped at her own tea. She appeared to be indifferent to the matter altogether, but Lux had to decide quickly. Was it sarcasm, concern, or curiosity that prompted the reply? _Quickly..._

"Nothing has me perplexed exactly, though my curiosity is boundless sometimes. Nothing of great concern, however," Lux replied, feigning her own indifference.

"It is enough to have you rudely ignore someone, so go on and share." Lux hoped that those words were out of at least moderate interest.

"Well..."

"Yes?" she prompted eagerly before returning her focus to her tea cup. _Just do it!_

"I haave been curious for many years why you and Father happily sent me and Garen away those years ago," she calmly asked, though it was not an accurate representation. Poking a beehive with a stick might earn the same effect. Lilia blinked a few times in response before she found her voice.

"I find that to be a highly inappropriate question to ask," her mother chided.

"You requested me to, so I was only respecting your wishes," Lux countered, but she realized too late how snarky her words had sounded. _No going back now._

"Even so, you should have enough sense to know better!"

"There is never an appropriate time for such a topic, so there is no sense in searching for the right time."

"We sent you to where you were best suited. Garen was destined for military greatness, just as you were bound for magic. Any respectable parent would have done so."

"So it was completely and wholeheartedly your own choice?" she asked, closing in on the real topic.

"As opposed to what?" Lilia asked defensively, hedging once more.

"Answer the question, please."

"What is the reason for this inquiry, if I may ask?"

"I will answer you when you answer me. It is only common courtesy, after all."

"But I am your mother, and I still have authority while in this house! Answer me."

"Not until you stop dodging the question," Lux repeated before tacking on "ma'am" to the end. She had a plan, but her mother's anger, and hopefully a few other emotions, needed to be built up further.

"Young lady, you will not disobey me, and with such disrespect! I did not raise you to be so insubordinate! How on earth did you ever survive your service when your mouth-"

"Did you love me?" Lux interrupted, briefly stunning her mother. The line was perhaps one of the few that could ever stop a parent mid-rant, and Lux needed the opportunity to regain control of the conversation.

"Of course I did, and still do. How dare you think that-"

"And Garen?" Lux interrupted once more.

"Are you truly this daft? Of course I loved Garen-"

"Then what kind of parent eagerly tosses their children out the door and slams it closed?" she asked, calculating the effect of each word as she continued. Her mother's face flared a fierce red.

"Luxanna-" she warned, about to use her full name, but Lux cut her off again. What person would not get irritated with someone who would never let them finish a sentence?

"What kind of parent never writes to her children during their years of absence, never visits her children, never asks about them, never even attends their defining moment of their academic careers?"

"I-"

"But you loved us, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then how could you keep us at arms reach yet claim such love?"' she demanded.

"Because I had to!" the exasperated woman answered.

"Had to? I thought the decision was of your own choosing," Lux mused, and Lilia finally caught on to her daughter's ruse and blanched as she realized she had blindly walked into the trap.

"What do you want, Lux?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Lux's suspicions were almost confirmed by the behavior alone as the anger suddenly melted. To be forced to do things one does not want to do, there must be sufficient motivation and further still to keep silent about the matter. Lux knew this well as a certain red-head's face appeared in her mind. She almost had an answer now, and it was time to coax it out.

"There are a lot of things going on right now, and I have some very important decisions to make," Lux said, choosing to use honey now that the vinegar had time to sour in their mouths. "But the information I am asking you can greatly affect the outcome, and these decisions do not just affect me. I need to know what has been going on. If you loved us so much, why have you placed so much distance between us?" she pleaded, and she was relatively surprised with the amount of truth she used reach out to her mother. Perhaps it would make her sound more convincing.

"I thought it would be easier. For all of us," Lilia timidly began. Her voice was far softer than Lux had ever heard, baring perhaps when she had been a baby. It was so soothing, she almost did not pay attention to the actual words the voice was forming. "You and Garen were destined for greater things, but if you stayed here, neither of you would achieve that greatness. After seeing Garen's reluctance when we first sent him, we thought it would be best if perhaps you saw leaving as the better of the options."

"So it was by your own choice after all?" she innocently asked, hoping to push the topic further.

"And... and we were instructed to send you away when you came of age."

"Why did you not say so to begin with? Why all the secrecy?" Lux proded.

"Each noble family must give up the thing they hold dearest to Demacia to prove their undying loyalty. The fealty is perhaps her best kept secret, and an oath of silence is taken immediately afterwards. According to whose interpretation of the law you choose, speaking of it at all could be grounds for treason," she said, and Lux accidentally inhaled her breath a bit louder than she had intended. "I will simply have to trust that you will keep your mouth closed on the subject." Lux solemnly nodded her consent. "We were approached for our outstanding dedication to our city and asked to pledge ourselves. Your father was already part of the military, and I had no true skills at my disposal to offer. No material object held sway over us, but a dream of having children and a happy and loving family was all that we prized. There is no option to decline. To be a Crownguard... You two were our tribute to Demacia's will."

If a gentle breeze had blown through the room, both women would have fallen over by the slight touch. For perhaps the first time in many weeks, Lux's mind was blank. No thought passed through, no plans formulated, no webs formed. Silence. To resume thought would require processing, and to process meant that her perception of so many things would be drastically altered... As the women stayed completely frozen, a bitter thought to entered her head. A collage of memories of the daily readings of the Measured Tread back at the Academy. In unision, the students had read passage after passage until the entirety of the book had been ingrained into their minds. _In our eternal forward march, we must stomp out evil all across Valoran wherever it may grow. Leave no stone unturned: __T__he roots of one ignored weed will inevitably corrupt the whole of the garden _had been a favorite line the instructors had harped on. Students had learned to seek outside the city for lurking evils, but not once had they been told to look within as well. And it had all been purposeful.

"With that kind of binding agreements, can we really call ourselves superior to Noxus?" Lux whispered to herself, but her mother's eyes bulged.

"Luxanna!" Lilia chided.

"I... I am sorry, Mother," Lux amended swiftly and sighed. Her thoughts could not be shared any further, lest she herself gets put forth for treason. The silence lasted long before anyone stirred. The tea's heat had dissipated, much to Lux's pleasure, and so sipping became less scalding and more refreshing. However, the tea soon disappeared too, leaving the women with little else to preoccupy their attention.

"You cannot tell anyone that you know," Lilia remarked suddenly, breaking the spell.

"You have my word, Mother. And... thank you."

"I hope this helped your... decisions, if that was what this was truly for."

"I will admit there was some personal curiosity in the matter, but yes. And this makes my decisions a good bit easier." Lux had been right all along, but the victory left her feeling hollow. Demacia, her home, the land she had grown to love without question, was responsible for her family's turmoil, not her parents, as she had so long believed. Not the King, who had more than once crossed her mind. This was well beyond him, as the Measured Tread had been the core of their education for generations. No, it was beautiful and terrifying Demacia herself, the very idea she fought to protect, that had robbed her of so much. She could almost appreciate the dark irony of the situation. She was quite grateful that she had not spoken a word of her swirling thoughts before King Jarvan with the limited knowledge she had had then. Rather than believe her story, he may have chosen to think that Lilia had told her, and what a mess that would have created. Her family did not need more messes than they already had. As her mind dwelled on their very troubles, who other than Katarina should come to mind? The red-haired wonder, the root of Lux's greatest dilemas. She wondered if perhaps things had been different, if they, too, could have had a different ending...

"You did not come here to visit home, did you?" her mother asked, drawing her yet again from her contemplation. Too much time devoted to thinking about the Sinister Blade had gotten her into enough trouble as it was.

"For appearances, yes. Honestly, no."

"Then I suppose you will be leaving soon to join your brother," she commented off-handedly. Lux eyed her curiously as wondered just how much her mother knew. "Your father left under his command not too long ago," she clarified, understanding her daughter's apprehension.

"I will participate in the war, yes. Whether it is beside Garen or somewhere else is of little consequence. Demacia needs our help more than ever, it would seem, and it is believed that I might be of use in the coming days."

"I see. Then please take care of yourself. With all three of you marching away, all I can do it sit at home and worry about the news that will be brought to my door next..."

"Do not fret about us, Mother. You should worry about the other guys, though," Lux winked, and for the first time in many years, Lilia smiled freely. Lux's own face was nearly engulfed with a mirrored expression. "And when the matter is over, it would be nice to visit again. For appearances' sake, of course."

"Yes, of course," she agreed.

"But for now, perhaps it would be best for me to set out as soon as possible. Garen may need me as soon as possible."

"Should you not rest before you set out? You have only just arrived?"

"War never waits, or so I have been told," Lux quipped, and the other woman could only nod. They rose from their seats. "Thank you for the tea. It was most refreshing," she added, and with much concentration overrode her usual bow with an awkward curtsy.

"Oh Lux..." she sighed before chuckling. "Your left foot draws back so you can favor your right."

"I will try my best to remember that for next time."

"You always say that."

"I did not say I would remember," she joked. "May we see each other soon."

"Sooner rather than later."

"Will do."

* * *

_**A/N2:**_ _First,_ _for those of you not keeping up with the thread in the forums, my dearest apologies for the lack of posting lately (prior to chapter 18, I mean), but I'm hoping that a months-long hiatus will not happen again. Thank you for reading and sticking with me. Second, I read through my story again after the hiatus, and good lord are there some things that need to be fixed. So, once more, there will be revision to my earlier chapters. No plot changes or introduction of new characters will occur, so no need to read through again, but there are a lot of things that need to be smoothed out, like grammar, spelling, word choice, or very dry dialogue with no description. The pains of posting unpolished work XD (but, again, thanks for sticking with me, even with the razor-sharp rough edges!)  
_


	20. Lose Control

_**A/N:** Dedicated to all those special people of the LoL forums that kept me fueled on smiles and pushed for me to keep going. Your comments, questions (xcyper33), and blatant bumps "for justice" (Ayuzumi, Withportals, Senstrae) made my day much happier. A very special shoutout to AhLoso, ElderCheese, and Eyowyn for your constant support and kindness. I appreciate it so very much :3  
_

* * *

It was early afternoon when Lux strolled into the heart of the camp, and not a soldier looked her way. Each man was busy loading up rifles, sharpening swords, polishing armor, or strengthening straps. Faulty equipment would be their downfall and demise. Even so, she was shocked not one of the lookouts or scouts had greeted her. Anyone could simply walk in without raising alarm. She decided that would be one of the first things she discussed with Garen before she curled up in her sleeping bag. She had walked the whole night through to arrive as quickly as possible, and she knew she had to push herself to adapt to a new sleep schedule. Garen would assign her where her capabilities would shine, and who better to have guarding against the night than a mage of light? She found it only a little ironic that "light mage" was considered by many to be her expertise when many of her missions involved lightless travels. Even so, to know the intricacies of light, she had to know darkness better.

She approached a tent that looked exactly like the dozens surrounding it, but she knew his tactics well enough to identify it as Garen's personal tent. While most generals preferred to show their status over their soldiers, they also announced which tent belonged to him. Garen was certain he could handle himself against any attack, even in his sleep, but that did not mean he would openly send out invitations and chose a tent just like his men had. It was perhaps this wisdom that helped him ascend through the ranks. And so, without so much as a nod to or from nearby soldiers patrolling she pushed the flap open and walked within. Her brother sat on the ground with his sword embedded in the dirt between his knees, and his hands and head rested on the pommel. Was he sleeping or praying, Lux wondered as she sat down beside him. He stirred momentarily and glanced about the room before returning to his meditative position. Curiously, he had refused to greet her. She passed the rudeness up for exhaustion instead and decided to initiate the conversation herself.

"What troubles you so?" she softly spoke, but she might as well have magically amplified her voice for the reaction she received. Garen leaped to his feet and pulled his sword free, kicking up a bit of the soil in Lux's direction. He wielded the weapon before him to guard his body as his eyes danced frantically about the tent. He charged out of the makeshift room, not even bothering to lift the flap but instead allowed his whole body to fling it open, and rushed out into the camp. Lux curiously followed, pushing the flap gently and strolling out to see what had Garen so startled.

"To me, men!" he cried, and immediately a chorus of "Sir!" echoed as several soldiers flanked him, encasing him in a protective barrier of men. "I believe Noxus has sent us spell casters. Quickly, flush them out!" he barked, and as the new arrivals appeared, a few of them began muttering incantations.

"Garen...?" she whispered timidly, afraid to interfere with their concentration. Baffled by the explosion of action, she tried to gain some insight by gathering in her surroundings, but nothing seemed to be out of place. A gentle breeze blew the camp, and her hair obscured her face. Or at least it would have if she could see it. It finally donned on her that she had yet to dispel her illusion of invisibility, and gods only knew what the mages had in mind for her. Thinking on her feet, she exclaimed loudly, "Excellent job, gentlemen! Your King would be proud!" Every soldier hesitated their action for a breath's moment as the words registered, and Lux took the opportunity to safely remove her spell. Several men gasped as she appeared before them, and she bowed low so as to appear anything but menacing. "Your reaction time to even the unknown is a testament to your training and to your commander's leadership. King Jarvan will be most pleased by your unwavering discipline," she continued, hoping that they would not skin her where she stood for the scare she had given them. As she straightened, she caught sight of a flickered scowl upon her brother's face, but it was quickly replaced with a grim smile.

"A drill then, my lady? I suppose there is never such a thing of too much practice!" he remarked with a hearty, though forced, laugh. She doubted anyone noticed as the rest of the men relaxed and nervously chuckled, dropping their weapons low and letting their spells fizzle. "I am pleased to see you have made it. Come! We have much to discuss," he emphasized, and the circle of men parted so that he could join the newest guest in his tent. Lux followed him quietly and tried not to seem like a scolded puppy following her master. Once the flap stopped moving behind them, his scowl returned. "We almost killed you and went on a witch hunt! Why on Valoran would you do something like this? And do not dare to say it was planned. Nobody is dumb enough to scare a military camp readying for war," he chided, and Lux visibly winced. She had deserved it, after all.

"My dearest apologies, sir. It was not my intention to scare everyone."

"You can drop the formalities, Lux. Just..." he interrupted himself with a sigh before resuming. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I must be more tired than I had originally thought. I walked all through the night to get here as quickly as I could, and I guess I had been invisible for so long that I forgot that I was not. Visible, I mean. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just extremely exhausted and could really use a bit of sleep."

"Why did you-"

"I was ordered to get here as quickly as possible."

"You always took things a bit too literally," he remarked as he shook his head lightly. "Go ahead and toss your sleeping bag in here and get some rest, then. We have men to stand guard for now, but when night falls, you are assigned to take scout out the forest."

"That's why I stayed up through the night. I knew I'd have night duties, and I wouldn't have it any other way," she yawned. "Who better to protect you than me?" As she re-evaluated her last statement, the dark irony was not lost on her, but she needed her sleep. There was no time to laugh, as there was nothing funny about a war.

* * *

Lux crouched in the tree tops, scanning the ground below for signs of the point men or scouts. No breeze carried through the desolate forest that night, allowing her to reserve her magic for more pressing concerns like concealment. It would have been a waste of magic to use her ward of ice to keep her from freezing, but she could not help but consider it every now and then. The forest surrounding Garen's camp seemed to be frozen in time. All sound had deserted the area. No creatures stirred or called. Only the eerie stillness before a storm thickened the air. She found a small part of herself anxious to end the moment, but she knew well enough that she would wish she had better appreciated her reprieve when absolute chaos descended.

Intelligence from spies stationed undercover in Noxus had reported a large contingent of units marching out of her gates no more than three days prior, but there was no mention of the Sinister Blade. While Lux felt moderately relieved, she found it difficult to remain so. Her... beloved - was that the correct word anymore? - home was facing a major crisis, and one that was partially her fault. Her family's life hung in the balance as her actions determined their fate. Her Demacia, despite all her hideous flaws, needed her. How could she possibly tell each of them "no" now? Could she possibly endure Garen's piercing gaze for the rest of her days if she failed? She had given her very life over to her beloved city, and if she had the chance, she knew she would do it again.

And yet... she could not let go of the itch beneath her skin, that irritation burning just below. Every moment of her life had been dedicated to serving another. First her parents, then her professors, then the army, and then the King himself. Not once was there a moment, a selfish moment, for herself. How could it be fair that she had to give up the only thing she had ever wanted? She was already of noble blood! She had given up her childhood and every chance of a happy moment to prove her undying loyalty to Demacia already! How could be it wrong to want a chance to start fresh with a loved one...?

Instantly she chided herself for even considering the train of thought. What she had done was unforgivable, and they could never go back. She would not throw away Demacia's teachings after the many chances they had given her for an unrealistic fantasy. More so, it was the assassin's fault to begin with. It was her fault that Lux needed to be involved at all in this tangled mess. In fact, had the Noxian never existed, such shame would not have been brought upon her family. A wild thought asked if it was truly Katarina's fault, but she immediately pushed it away. There was no time for doubts anymore, and she would not make the same mistake twice. Should she encounter the Sinister Blade, she would end her life or give up her own in the process. It was the only way.

_Quadrant three and four cleared,_ she routinely thought as her training had taught her, but also hoping to distract her from her mounting anger, and she walked through the tree canopy to leap over to another tree. She searched further for any more signs of the approaching Noxian army but found no conclusive findings. She shrugged and continued on to the next tree and the next. The dull, systematic motions of her patrol droned on but somehow did not dull her senses. In fact, they pressed her further and further towards the forest's edge. Something was amiss, but she was not seeing it. Every check she made yielded nothing, but warning bells rang within her mind. Her instincts urged her to hurry, and soon she was recklessly racing through the canopies before scouting the area. She felt she knew where she was supposed to go, like a voice calling out to her. But where, she wondered. What am I not seeing, damnit?

A soft crunched echoed through the woods, right when Lux's foot as midair... and unable to make such a sound. Much like a scared doe, she froze mid-motion and focused her senses to reach out for the sound's origin point. The eerie stillness nearly suffocated her, but she knew without doubt that she was no longer alone. She checked her hands to reassure herself she remained invisible, but still she felt unsettled. She held her breath to help conceal herself and to better hear her surroundings, and had she not, she might not have heard a strange whizzing sound of the air itself slicing in half. A moment later, she pieced it together and grabbed the branch tightly in her hands as she dropped down from her perch, dangling in the air.

_Thunk!_ Metal lodged itself deep into bark close to where her head had been just a breath before. Several thoughts fired in rapid succession before she could control of herself. A sudden hope lit within as she recalled the last time she heard such a sound. Could it possibly be...? she wondered before chiding herself. Should it be Katarina, she should not be nearly as pleased by the idea as she felt, and more so, the assassin could barely move last time she had heard. Soraka herself had attested to the long healing process. In reply, she was filled with crushing disappointment, to which she once again chided herself. And then she focused on the larger picture of Garen, her family, Demacia, and Katarina's role. If it wasn't for her... and her wall of anger returned, deflecting any soft thoughts surrounding the Noxian. In the half moment it took to review all those thoughts, another object homed toward her body, and Lux weaved her legs through the gap between her arms and swung back over the branch to regain a sitting position just in time to hear another sound.

_Thunk!_ she heard from below, and again the accuracy of the throw had been uncanny. Lux reached over to the trunk of the tree and felt about for the metal object and grasped at the handle of a weapon. Unsurprised at her discovery, she swiftly tugged at the pommel and freed the weapon. The dagger, for it was a dagger she realized to her unchecked pleasure, had not been dulled by the encounter with the tree and remained as sharp as ever. Her fingers traced the blade to find the blacksmith's mark claiming his work but found nothing until she flipped the blade over and felt an S engraved at the base, and her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the mark. Excitement purged her system of her thoughts. Excitement to see her dearest friend again, to face a worthy opponent in both mind and body, to finally not be bored, to finally have her last chance to save her family. Yet startling, there was something else boiling just below the surface. A grudge with nowhere to go, no one to blame, as Demacia did not have a face. This was long overdue.

"Too much of a coward to come out from the shadows to fight?" Lux taunted loudly, her voice penetrating through the stillness and echoing further and further into the darkness.

"Says the invisible one," scoffed a familiar voice from relatively close by, but Lux was not unnerved. In fact, she had expected it. And with the flick of her wrist, the spell wavered then broke altogether, revealing her form casually sitting on the branch. A third whizzing sound was immediately followed by a fourth, and Lux threw herself from the tree to dodge the missiles. Before she touched the ground, she quickly cast another spell to suspend her body mid-air and placed herself carefully on the ground.

"Honor, my ass," she quipped, and she hoped that the memory was a fierce jab at her attacker's new wounds as much as it was to her own. She was once told that to defeat a respectable opponent by underhanded methods deprived the accomplishment of the action, not to mention the opponent surely deserved more, and here they were, trying to silence each other in the darkness.

"And you think you're fucking deserving?" came the harsh reply, and Lux knew that the spot was still sore, just as it was for herself. Could she play this game to her advantage one more time? Could she whittle down her opponent's guard and defense once more, even if it cost some of her own?

"Oh, no. I do not. But perhaps there could be a reason..." she said, her voice trailing off in a blatant tease, alluding to unknown information. Another dagger was launched, and having found better footing on the ground, Lux simply side-stepped it.

"For?" growled the voice after a moment's silence, and Lux knew it had begun. Her thoughts flew to Garen one last time, and she swore that she would not fail him. Not this time. She must protect him.

"Everything," she answered cryptically, and she held her breath with anticipation. Would her prey take the bait? A shadow exploded from the canopy, closing in above Lux's head, but she knew it was only a feint. She snapped her fingers to summon her battle baton to focus her magic and give her a way to defend against those terrible razor-sharp edges. At the last possible moment, she fell to the ground as a shadowy form materialized and lashed out where her body had been an impulse ago. Lux kicked at both the figure's knees and climbed to her feet during the painful distraction, and she held her baton out before her, awaiting retaliation. Red locks flared about the fiery woman's face as they locked eyes for the first time.

"You are not getting out alive, bitch," Katarina snarled, but Lux only smiled in reply.

"Talk with your hands, darling," she mocked condescendingly. Twin short swords appeared in her opponent's hands, the motion so quick Lux barely even saw the weapons leave their sheaths, and the assassin lunged at the light mage. Metal against metal reverberated as Lux danced and blocked through Katarina's whirling attacks. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, though I thought you'd be out longer," she remarked as she deflected a blade seeking to bite her hip. At the sound of her voice, Katarina reversed the direction and sought to take off Lux's head, but the mage nimbly dodged the attack.

"No thanks to you," she retorted, and she crossed her swords to catch a baton smack aimed at her face. Improvising her routine, as her opponent wielded a blunt weapon as opposed to a blade, Katarina risked a shoulder charge to break through the defense. Her opponent, however, refused to allow that, and something gripped tightly at her ankles, binding the assassin in place.

"I see you have already been told. How unfortunate to have that opportunity taken from me," Lux mused, and the fury in Katarina's glare told her it still stung.

"I will cut out your fucking tongue, snake, and you'll never be able to use those pretty words of yours again," she swore and retrieved a handful of daggers from various concealed places about her body and launched them at Lux. Rather than dodge them all, her baton glowed brilliantly and encased the mage's body in a safe, iridescent shield. The daggers bounced harmlessly off Lux, and she quickly dispelled the shield to conserve her energy.

"Awh, but if you do, I can't tell you about all the wonderful things you don't know about," she replied, feigning disappointment. The enchantment binding Katarina in place finally dissipated, and she lost no time closing the distance between herself and her opponent. The assassin jabbed at Lux's torso, but this, too, was only a feint, covering the motion of her left weapon hoping to slice her hamstring. Lux's baton easily deflected the first weapon, but she noticed a hair too late about the goal of the second. So she used the only advantage she had: her wits. "I suppose Swain's attack dog has been told all that is required, though, right?" she asked, and the swing of Katarina's arm slowed ever so slightly with hesitation, but it gave Lux the opportunity to recast her shield and ignore the severe blow. She knew, however, she could not continue to rely on her magic if she hoped to come out alive, as magic was far more taxing than parrying blows. She needed to gain the upper hand before her opponent picked up speed.

"If you have something to say, fucking SAY IT!" the Sinister Blade screamed as her attack once again left no mark on Lux's body.

"But if I do, my love, you'll have no reason to keep me alive," Lux forced a laugh, and the effect could not have been more maddening

"Who the hell said I need you alive?" she grunted as she viciously swung her blades at the mage's chest. Lux side-stepped the move and made a pass at the assassin's head, but Katarina quickly defended against the maneuver. "I can have all the fun I want mutilating your still corpse."

"So are you saying you don't want to know? You've slept soundly lately?" she asked, and the concern in her voice slipped out into the open, but decided to let it stand without further statements. Perhaps it would throw Katarina off-balance some more.

"Watching the light leave your precious little eyes will be the best memory that keeps me company in hell."

"Not the one where you, single-handedly, destroyed the future of a Demacian noble household and thus crippling Noxus's greatest enemy?" Lux quipped again, and this time she received a brief flash of confusion before the rage returned.

"Just little ol' me?" she asked, taking the bait at long last. Anticipation expanded within Lux as she realized her one and only chance of telling someone, anyone, was quickly approaching.

"Oh, didn't they tell you about that in Noxus? I thought they kept you up to speed on everything," she mocked as she dodged more stabs and jabs from the assassin.

"A show with dinner? You know how to treat a girl right," Katarina deadpanned, and Lux smiled with appreciation of the dark humor.

"But, of course. My girl deserves the very best," she quipped again, and from the increased intensity of the next series of attacks, it appeared that her opponent did not take too kindly to her words. "When I was sent to infiltrate the might Legend of Legends, it was with the purpose of assassinating the famed Sinister Blade," she began, and with a flick of her wrist hidden behind her back, she caught Katarina yet again with her spell. "I gave the summoners the best performance of my life when I dropped to my knees and cried out that I was empty inside. I showcased sobfests of the Crownguard dramas to sate their hunger. They opened their doors wide open for me."

"Shut the fuck up!" the other woman cried and attempted to move her feet, but this time Lux held on to the spell longer.

"Every move I made was geared to destroying your icy exterior, and you willingly melted within my hands. You should have listened to Swain," she commented with partial lament. The contained woman's shoulders twitched, and her hair obscured her face. "Whatever they told you is probably right. It was all a performance. You were so wrapped around my words you that you fell for me, and so I wonder... which was the most embarrassing part for you: trusting me or falling for me?" she asked viciously, knowing full well the dark corner of Katarina's mind. Ordinarily, she tried not to use an opponent's darkness against them, but this was not about a fair match with honor. This was personal. This... was revenge.

"When I get my hands on you, I'm going to slice off that fucking irritating face of yours and have it made into a mask to frame on my wall," Katarina whispered, but it was still loud enough for Lux to hear. "And every day, I'm going to look at it and laugh, for your mask couldn't save you after all."

"It is true, y'know. There was no Black Rose agent, Kat." Lux added a little more energy into her spell to hold the Noxian in place until she had said the words she had longed to say for so long.

"Don't you ever call me that again!" she spat.

"There was no one else there that night. I tried to kill you," Lux finally confessed, and a small weight lifted from her chest. The sweet little voice from before begged her to continue, to explain everything to the woman before her, but she knew it would have to wait a little longer.

"...how could you?" Katarina asked just barely over the sound of her breath. Lux snapped her fingers and released the hold over the assassin's ankles. "How could you do this?!" she screamed, her voice suddenly swelling. Once more, she lunged at the light mage, her twin swords seeking to remove the heart of her troubles. Lux spun her baton about her hands and readied herself to parry the incoming attacks. Katarina blindly swung out, knowing full well she would make no contact with the motions but continued forward anyway. Each thrust of her weapons slammed against the baton and brought another word from her lips. "How. Could. You. How. Could. You?!" The intensity of the attacks startled Lux, for theory was vastly different than application, and while she had aimed to tired Katarina with her rage, it had not fully occurred to her how difficult surviving the plan would be. "You. Fucking. BITCH!" she snarled as she brought both weapons in a downward chop at Lux's head, and the light mage blocked with her baton. Sensing the opportunity, the assassin snuck a foot behind her opponent's calf and hooked it, forcing the knee buckle. Lux stumbled to the ground, and Katarina swooped in for the kill. As Lux dropped, she did not bother to steady herself but instead launched into the throes of spell casting. As her body fell to the ground, the blade descended above her head. The arc was cut short as Katarina's hand and weapon crashed into an invisible barrier. "What the fuck?" she said in response, and Lux once again leaped up to her feet.

"This isn't a petty League match, my love. There is no one here to limit me. I can do so much more now," she replied and snapped away the barrier, conserving her energy as best she could.

"I hate you so much," came a snarled reply before the assassin vanished into the shadows. Lux's reflexes took control, and she spun around and smacked the center of a materializing form. Katarina completed her appearance, and if the attack had slowed her at all, she refused to openly display it. With speed that would have left many in awe, the assassin launched a series of attacks with alternating patterns, forcing Lux to choose which dagger was most important to block. No longer would there be two-for-one opportunities. The force behind the moves was staggering, and only barely was Lux able to keep the razor edges from touching her soft skin. "You're not the only one the summoners limited, you idiot," Katarina growled and slashed at the middle of her opponent's head. Instinctively, Lux ducked, just as Katarina expected. The move brought the mage's face in direct line to a powerful kick. Rather than fight against it, Lux once more shielded herself from the impending attack and accepted the blow. The momentum arched her head backwards, and her feet lost contact with the ground beneath. She landed roughly on her back, but the light shield had absorbed most of the damage. The assassin sensed an opening and again lunged for her fallen prey. Undaunted, Lux waved her arms in the air and disappeared from view.

"Bitch!" Katarina screeched before she paused to listen for her opponent. Stealth was comprised of many aspects, including partial, if not full, invisibility. However, just because someone had mastered the illusion of sight did not mean they could control the sounds of their movements. Her ears searched for a clue to where her opponent had disappeared.

"Aren't you still curious?" Lux whispered near the woman's ear before darting away. "It's your fault, after all."

In less than a heartbeat's time, the Sinister Blade whirled around and furiously stabbed through empty space. "You can't ever play fucking fair, can you?!" she fumed. After a few heavy breaths, she focused on a spot within her mental chambers and shifted her energy into a focal point. The fog of rage disappeared and was replaced with cold, calculating decisions. Of course, the rage continued to fuel her every move, but it did not cloud her. She closed her eyes and recalled the countless hours of lightless training, her other senses heightening to pick up the slack of her sight. Her mind painted the area's outline, steadily filling it with more details. Once her map gained clarity, it became easier to guess where her opponent could not be, thus limiting the possibilities.

While her physical senses did not pick up anything, her warrior's instinct twanged. A knife flew from her hand and lodged itself within a nearby tree trunk. The hit was missed its mark, but it had fulfilled its function. A tiny intake of a breath came about several hand width's from the location. "Gotcha now, bitch." In fluid motions, she pulled daggers from concealed sheaths about her body and threw them to the location of the sound. Weapon after weapon connected either with bark or landed in the crisp leaves blanketing the ground. Except for one. She opened her eyes to scan for the missing blade before realizing the truth. She laughed maliciously. "You can dodge all you want, but it only takes one to go wrong."

Dropping the illusion, Lux's form came into view, and Katarina searched for her weapon's damage. "Where you can't dodge," she said, revealing the dagger in her right hand, "learn to catch." She tossed it in the air for good measure and caught it again.

"How adorable," the assassin mocked. "That doesn't work for everything."

"You're right," the light mage replied, much to the Noxian's confusion. "That's why you should always learn more." With the snap of her hand, the dagger sailed back at its owner. Katarina focused on the incoming missile, intending on restocking her supply. As the blade sailed within arm's reach, an unusual light glinted off its edge. Her eyes briefly squinted before she could properly react, and she quickly whirled out of harm's way.

"That was cheap."

"You do what you gotta do," Lux said evenly.

"Is that how you clear your conscience every night?" she snarled.

"Oh sweetie, didn't I tell you to talk with your hands? You must earn this!" she retorted. "I still have a secret to share with you and only you." Katarina stared at her bizarre opponent and did not need to be told to use violence twice. She closed her eyes and searched for her center, almost like in a meditative trance. Each hand simultaneously grabbed for a different hilt and launched them at her enemy, the traitor, her lover.

Lux quickly summoned another iridescent light to encase her body and absorb the daggers, the weapons smashing violently against the invisible wall. She felt each pound against the shield tax her strength further, but she had to hold on. She allowed one to fly through only to catch it between her fingers. While the solid light protecting her would hold through the strongest of attacks, it required continuous amounts of strength and concentration to hold it in place, and Lux was steadily growing out of both. To her brief relief, the assassin ended her move and charged at the Demacian, hands brandishing more weapons.

Lux's baton lit up, and she disappeared once more. Katarina closed her eyes to begin seeking, but to her surprise she felt cold steel digging against her neck. An arm snaked around her torso and held her tightly in place while the other kept the dagger in check. The woman struggled in the grasp but gained no ground. "You couldn't do it last time," the Noxian taunted. "You think you've got the guts to do it right this time?" This time, Lux was the one to hesitate, her captive's words worming away at her heart. Katarina felt the indecision and her muscles snapped into action, twisting Lux's wrist while simultaneously stepping back onto her captor's toes. The knife dropped harmlessly to the ground, and Katarina quickly reversed the situation. The Demacian cried out in anguish as the assassin continued twisting the arm, forcing Lux to comply with any movement. She kicked the back of her knees, and Lux fell to the ground once more.

"Poor form," Katarina commented condescendingly. "If you're going to copy me, do it right." Lux's free hand snapped its fingers, summoning her baton again. The Noxian slapped the hand back and pressed down on the pressure point in the palm. The baton dropped from her grasp, and Katarina kicked it away. "I said to play fair, bitch!" she screamed and kicked Lux square in the back.

"You're physically stronger than I'll ever be, and you're complaining about playing fair?" she incredulously asked only to have more force placed on her arm and palm. Katarina, while managing to keep the twisted arm in check, maneuvered her body to turn around and face her opponent.

"You think fucking with my emotions is fair?" she retorted. Lux's arm was twisted further. "Huh, sweetheart?" she repeated and spat in Lux's face.

"I suppose you're the only one who's allowed to do that?" the mage spat.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Talk with your hands, my love," she chided, and the assassin's grip on her pressure point tightened tremendously. She was going to pass out from the pain, she surmised, as her vision blurred about the edges. And if she fell in unconscious, she would not be able to defend herself any longer. Black spots blotted out most of the forest, and she had trouble seeing Katarina's face... Lux closed her eyes, preparing for what was to come. She wondered if, like the priests had said, one of the gods of Valoran would personally greet her upon reaching the gates of the afterlife and allow her access to the shimmering fields of flowers. Her grandmother would undoubtedly be there, waiting with open arms. Lux longed for that image of peace and hoped with all her heart it could be true.

A tiny sliver of thought, however, voiced an alternate world. Death was the end, not the beginning. Her corpse would rot in a hole in the ground, and her spirit would be buried with it beneath the dirt, suffocating within the enclosed walls she could not escape. There was no harmonious afterlife, not for one like her. She tried to cling to the image of the peaceful fields as she felt a constricting feeling about her body. Panic filled her every breath, and the thought of her waiting grandmother faded away. She was going to die, and that would be it. The Void would come for her and swallow her whole. The gods would finally punish her for all her wrong doings, a special hell for the way she used people to her advantages. A wave of regret washed over her, but she knew that for Garen, for Demacia, she would do it over and over again..."I love you," Lux whispered before her mind's consistent churning slowed to all but a halt. Stillness. Silence. Who the recipient of her words was supposed to be she did not know, but it did not matter...

"Ah, and you said it before you tried to kill me," Katarina snorted, and the sound of speech broke through the sinking oblivion. "Funny how that works, isn't it?" the assassin callously laughed. The Noxian's powerful arms forced Lux to topple over her own legs and land on her back, and the sudden movement gave a small jolt to the light mage's mind. The pressure left her palm, and the ripples of agony stopped attempting to push her over the edge of the unconscious abyss. Still too groggy to take advantage of the brief release, she found the razor sharp edge of a dagger against her throat. The Noxian straddled her, binding Lux in place with weight and blade.

"So, what is this itty bitty dark secret my little Lux keeps hinting about but never mentions? Is it just a ploy to buy her more time? Ha!" she exclaimed maliciously, and the blade pressed deeper into her prey's skin. But rather than slicing through, Katarina head butted Lux in the face one, twice, three times, and the light mage's nose spluttered with blood. The light mage's head lulled to the side as her vision and thoughts swam about in confusing patterns. Where was she? What was going on...? "Do tell me there was something you had here, darling." The woman gathered both of Lux's hands in one of her own while keeping the blade leveled at her neck. "I wonder if your skin will still look as beautiful when I etch my designs in you."

"No..." came a quiet moan, and Katarina pressed the dagger harder.

"Speak up, bitch! I want to hear your trip over your words with clarity. Flick your tongue the wrong way and I'll happily take it away from you," she teased.

"Don't kill him," Lux softly cried, and tears streamed down her face. Her head throbbed as if her very skull was imploding. This delirium... It was so difficult to think straight... Why could she not get up? Was she tasting blood? She felt like she was drowning, unable to swim along with the torrent of thoughts and sensations...

"Oh, don't black out on me, sweetie. You won't feel me carving into your flesh, and that takes out half the fun," she pouted. "But only half."

"Garen..." she uttered no louder than an exhale of breath, but Katarina's eyes narrowed in response before she formed a macabre grin.

"I wasn't going to go out of my way to find him, but if that's your last request, how can I ignore you?" The assassin's words echoed painfully in Lux's mind. _How can I ignore you? _And a sudden burst of clarity stilled the waters, and she finally understood the woman's words. Her thoughts organized into coherent ideas. Her mission! She must protect Demacia and everyone along with her. "You're just a never-ending basket of fun, aren't you, love?' Katarina laughed. Her captive missed the humor. If the Sinister Blade had never existed... Her rage bubbled to the surface. Her family did not deserve her ire, Demacia had no face, but the Sinister Blade... Reason faded under the fog of red. It did not matter anymore to remain in control. At long last, she could take revenge on life's injustices, all with one person.

The mask cracked.

"They will kill him, and it'll be all your fucking fault!" Lux suddenly shrieked. With a whisper, a sharp contrast to moments before, a series of words fell from her lips in rapid succession.

The assassin pressed the dagger harder on her opponent's neck, as if to silence, but her weapon slid through the air. Her opponent had vanished, and not by illusion. Lux was physically not there anymore. Katarina immediately leaped to her feet in pursuit of her prey. "What the hell is this?!" the Noxian asked venomously.

"The end," the light mage whispered harshly above the woman's ear as she materialized behind her, and for a moment Katarina heard the same tone she had used on dozens mirrored back at her. Before the she could react, Lux snapped her fingers, returning her baton to its rightful place in her hands, and viciously smacked the assassin's torso. The pain surprised Katarina, and against her will, she uttered a tiny groan as she fell to her knees. "Looks like you have a weakness after all," Lux chuckled. The assassin motioned to lash out, but the light mage refused to give up the upper hand and brought her boot to the woman's spine. Another muffled cry tumbled out of unwilling lips. "I see why you enjoy this so much. The power... it's exhilarating, isn't it? Standing over someone who can't defend themself. You can't control anything else in your life, but for that one moment, you control them. You _own_ them... It's like you're a god." Lux emphasized the final word with a second baton smack. This time, the woman maintained her silence. "Poor little Kat," she mocked. "Didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food?" She made three more passes at the Noxian's back in swift succession, then followed the motion with a spit to the side of the woman, a dark crimson dot on the ground. "Payback for the head butts, darling. Nothing personal, of course."

"Of course," Katarina coughed in reply.

"Ah, but now it's time for personal stuff, though, sweetie pie. Here's the show I promised you," and with a flick of her wrists, a magical force bound the assassin's feet tightly together but also her hands to the ground. The Noxian tried fitfully to move about, but her efforts were in vain. Not that she could move much before with the fresh damage to her spine, but Lux wanted no chances. The light mage walked around the woman's bound body and looked down. "Dedicated to you. After all, it's your fault."

"What-" she coughed again, "-the fuck if my fault, exactly?"

"Oh my. Isn't this delicious! It would appear no one has robbed me of this opportunity. I, my love, was sent to kill you as part of... an arrangement, we'll call it. I offered to end your life to save the life of a loved one. An easy pick, wouldn't you say?" she asked innocently.

"And who is it?" the assassin managed to ask.

"Can you really not connect the dots?"

"An interactive performance?" A third cough. "I must be really special."

"More than you'll ever know," she mumbled, but she pressed onward. "Special, but blind. If I end you, I save Garen. If I let you live, Garen dies. It's simple, mmm?" she asked again, though a bit more urgently this time.

"What did the Golden Boy do?"

"'When Demacians march forth, ridding Valoran of the evils of selfishness and greed under the pristine banner of justice, we know who we are and what we fight for, unapologetically.' A quote from the Measured Tread. You and I both know that Demacia isn't the paragon of paradise. It's just a farce. Their world is so black and white with very little room for greys. Either you are perfect or flawed, and to be flawed is... not a desirable fate. Justice is a strict mistress. And so, with the right words whispered in the right ears, the ever-watching eyes of Demacia found Garen to be flawed."

"This's getting juicy. And why would they think that?"

"For supposedly consorting with the enemy."

"What?"

"'Surely there is a reason the Sinister Blade escaped this time,' they said when Garen returned empty-handed again. 'Why does she always seem to get away?' they wondered. Garen's respect and adoration for you brought him great troubles. He thought he could handle the situation on his own, but soon they could no longer overlook his transgressions. Time and time again, he failed to bring you in to the point where it seemed... purposefully defiant."

"Does no one think I'm good at what I do?" she chuckled, though the sound was empty.

Lux paused long enough to slap Katarina's cheek with an open palm. "It's rude to interrupt," she said as an aside before continuing. "Execution was Garen's fate had I not stepped in to clean up the fucking mess. I begged the King to change the Council's mind. I beseeched him to find a way to absolve this suspicion, to forgive Garen's error and give him a second chance." "I offered my own life to take the place of his. He accepted and commanded that I ensure you would not participate in the brewing war and to use any means necessary. Given the description of being the prize of Noxus, it was implied that you were to be eliminated. My failure the first time nearly confirmed both the Council and the King's thoughts and had us executed for treason, but I persuaded the King that I was worthy of another chance. If we win the war, Garen is spared. If I kill you, Garen lives. My family does not deserve their name to be slandered like this. Garen's the first to reach Captain of the Vanguard at his age. He's Demacia's golden child, much as you said." Another baton smack to the back.

_Everyone knows he's your plaything. It is approved how you have him wrapped around your fingers. It can be turned to benefit._

_He's a fool. I love him dearly, and I know that he would have done things differently if he had known. But we don't have the chance anymore._

_I have to clean up after him._

Katarina's mind reeled as previous conversations took on a new light.

"Confession does do something for the soul, it would seem," Lux concluded, and her rage quelled. After so long, she had finally released the festering thought out into the open. No longer was it caged within her small body. No longer must she suffer the weight alone, but she was far from in control. She squatted down and lifted the assassin's chin, forcing their eyes to meet again. "The choice is easy to make. Kill you by my own hands, or let Garen die. It shouldn't be so hard, should it?" she laughed, and she felt herself teetering on the edge of madness. "Kill one loved one to save another..." she murmured to herself, her voice allowing the lament to be heard.

"You crazy bitch," came the quick, curt reply. Lux would have been fooled by the tone had she not noticed how the assassin's eyes shined. She released her chin and stood back up, preparing herself for the next step.

"Eloquent to a fault. That's my girl." Tears streamed down Lux's face for the second time that night, and it perhaps set a record. How many emotions had surfaced unchecked? There was no longer a mask to hide behind. Not anymore. She began to lace together the words she would need to cast her most powerful spell, but her attention wavered more than once. How was this fair? To be forced to decide which life is more valuable without bias. Who was to say Katarina was less than Garen in any way? She was not of the Kinkou! How could she choose?

She shook the idea out of her mind and focused on memorized lines from the Measured Tread to still her quaking mind, as instructed at the Academy. Each passage, however, felt more and more hollow as recent events reshaped her perception, especially their favorite quote. "In our eternal forward march, we must stomp out evil all across Valoran wherever it may grow. Leave no stone unturned: the roots of one ignored weed will inevitably corrupt the whole of the garden." How was killing another _good_ somehow? Killers were _evil_ and needed to be eradicated to restore harmony... but were they not doing the very same thing, only dressed differently? Was the Demacian way just as bad as the Noxian way?

Was she evil? Had she, the Lady of Luminosity, the prodigy light mage, fallen so deep over the edge that not even the light could reach her? Immediately she refuted the claims without thought, for how could she, of all people, be evil? She was a poster child for Demacia's morality. Grace, elegance, beauty, and the bringer of light. Her mind, however, replayed her actions of the last few months and keenly narrowed on the night's actions... and she could not answer. She stood dumbfounded. Luxanna Crownguard was finally faced with not knowing, and it came from within.

"Get it over with," growled the still-bound assassin, startling Lux. In her panic-ridden ride, she had forgotten the center of the tangled web, her Noxian love. If only Katarina had not been Noxian, or she Demacian, then the rose would still smell as sweet...

Or the two were not on the brink of war.

And so the wheels of her mind began to churn again as it raced through possibilities. Lux interrupted the spell herself, and the magic dissipated into the air. She was insane, surely! Yet she should have thought the same when readily agreeing to kill someone simply because of orders.

"Maybe when we're old and shriveled, you'll understand..." she whispered. Using the same phrases she had when she had to sneak beyond the guards to visit the King, Lux mumbled quietly, and Katarina's body went limp. So still the woman was that she feared that she had perhaps misspoken somewhere in the chain, but the tiniest rhythm of inhales and exhales alleviated her fears. With a dismissive wave, the magical bounds holding the assassin in place broke, and she sunk to the ground.

She paused for a moment, allowing herself time to reconsider her course. If she continued, there could be no going back. This would be her greatest deception, surpassing even that of the one with Katarina. If she was caught... She clasped her hands together and prayed fiercely that perhaps this one time she could bring true justice... and not only to Demacia.

Before she could change her mind, she began a new spell, one she had only tried in theory. Lux focused her energy through the crystal embedded at the tip of her baton to magnify her remaining power. The power swelled about her until she felt she was going to be taken along with the magic, but with the final word, it vanished, as did Katarina's body. The amount of strength the spell took left her dizzy... disoriented... weak... but she had to hold on. There was one last thing she had to do. She summoned a blank parchment and a quill from her belongings at Garen's camp, and again, the energy lost left her head spinning. After writing it, she hoped the gods would watch for children and fools one last time and cast a spell of sending, and the power depleted the last of reserves.

She fell face first on the ground.

* * *

Katarina awoke with a sheen of sweat, her heart racing. Her eyes darted about her form, revealing she was within her tent quarters, and relaxed, though only slightly. Had she dreamed her encounter with Lux? It had felt so vivid, so real, that she could not tell the difference between it and reality. The assassin breathed a heavy sigh and attempted to still her pounding heart. She chided herself for feeling so out of control that the traitorous light mage had invaded her dreams but did not press it too harshly. Let the dream serve as a lesson to "not play with your food," she surmised. The thick material of the tent blocked out any light, so Katarina had no idea what time of the day it was, but she did not care. She needed to get her mind off the dream, and only in training could she find that clarity.

She sat up, but it with extreme difficulty. Her back ached as if... as if she had received a severe beating, she evaluated. Immediately her eyes narrowed, and she tried to recall if she had taken the vial of the healing potion before she went to bed. Skipping a night should not yield such painful results, should it?

She coughed harshly, her hand flying to her lips, and the force felt like she had swallowed her own blade. When the fit ended, she pulled back her hand, a little dots of crimson rolled down her palm. Had that dream been...?

Before she could piece together what exactly had happened and why she continued to draw her breath, her text flap was pushed open hurriedly and in entered a Noxian foot soldier. The sight of her unsettled him, as was her effect on most of the cadets in the camp. His posture straightened, and he tried to give a formal solute, though his hands visibly shook. Before she could reprimand him for entering without permission, he speak in a hurried, squeaky voice. "My apologies, ma'am, but one of our counter-intelligence officers managed to get a hold of this message traveling to the Institute of War from Demacia. I was ordered to run this to you, as you would relay it to General Swain. We thought it was important because... well, it had the same seal as _last_ time."

"Give me that!" she snarled as she snatched the scroll out of the cadet's shaky hands. "And get OUT!"

The man needed no further prompting to flee from the Sinister Blade's reach. She unrolled the paper and quickly skimmed through for what she thought was a Demacian report of sorts, as the seal had been undoubtedly Lux's. What she read instead insisted a second read-through, and even then a third.

_"RF,_

_Everything is unfolding smoothly in Demacia. Like an angry beehive, they seek the owner of the stick that disturbed them. Commander Garen leads an army to face the approaching Noxian forces, and both are preparing for bloodshed, just as you foretold. Praise your ingenuity, and may the gods always smile favorably upon you._

_I do wish to express my concern for a specific summoner, the one who attacked one of Demacia's champions not too long ago. His actions may bring Demacian investigation and scrutiny. Perhaps we remain one step ahead and send a letter detailing his punishments to shift their attention and ire back to Noxus. I mean not to overstep my bounds, only express a paranoia to maintain our control over the situation._

_Your humble servant,_  
_HR"_

Even upon her third read, the words enclosed baffled Katarina. This letter suggested that perhaps the League of Legends itself was involved in the brewing war, but the seal definitely belonged to Lux. _Or was that a false report...? _she wondered briefly, but immediately she discarded that. The Demacian had told her herself that she had been the one who tried to kill her. That was not a dream by any means, she thought as the throbbing of her back made moving a difficult task. There was no way that it was only because of a missed dose.

The assassin took a long, deep breath, held it for four counts, and released it slowly before trying to tackle the chaos again. She released her rage at the troublesome Demacian to trade for cold, calculating logic. _If the last report was from Lux, then this one is as well. But why would she attempt to trick us all into investigating the League? _she tried to reason carefully. _Perhaps in our distraction, Demacia will invade! _she nearly exclaimed aloud, but the thought did not seem to settle quite right. If it was a ploy to cripple Noxus, Lux should have ended her during their last encounter. The rouse was not guaranteed to work, but her death would have been absolute. Gambling that would have been... stupid, and everything she knew about the light mage suggested otherwise. _So what would she have to gain out of this?_

_"If we win the war, Garen's life is spared."_

Pieces fell together, and the Noxian shook her head in disbelief. She could not help but admire her opponent's cleverness, though it was extremely absurd. If the recent events that sparked the war between the two cities suddenly had a scapegoat, both sides could save face in their exchanges with each other by pinning it on an outside force. Both sides could win. If the deception was discovered... she inadvertently shivered. The image of Swain's transformation made a fleeting presence in her thoughts.

And so she was faced with a choice: did she tell Swain the truth or did she go along with the plot? One would lead to a devastating war with no certain victor. She winced at the admission, but even the generals themselves had been concerned about the matter. The other option would save thousands of lives and allow Noxus to claim a loose victory. However, she would never be able to lay a finger on Lux. _Was that her plan? To trade my death promise for this victory? _Again, she looked back on when Lux had her bound and helpless, and yet here she still breathed fresh.

_"An easy pick, wouldn't you say?"  
_  
_"It's simple, mmm?"  
_  
_"It shouldn't be so hard, should it?"_

Katarina made her decision.

* * *

_**A/N2: **I am so sorry for the delay in getting the real chapter 20 out to you. I was actually very disappointed (and embarrassed!) and just didn't want to think about it for a while. I should have been working on my research paper, but... we all know how that goes :P  
**A/N3: **Please let me know how you feel about the direction of my story. The Garen part has been there since the beginning, but instead of ending the series with this confrontation, I'm trying for a more tied-up ending that tries to give a new look on old lore. I would appreciate some feedback, either PM, review, or through the discussion thread on the forums. Thank you!_


	21. Author's Note - apology for confusion!

Quick Author's Note!

Some people misunderstood my note at the end of Chapter 20, and I would like to clarify some things.

This story is towards the end, but I'm not going to suddenly cut it. It's rather abrupt in a few ways with some loose ends. What I meant in my note was that the ending to the CHAPTER was far different than what was originally planned, for I wrote this chapter *months* ago, and many things have happened between then and now (side note: this is why there was a botched chapter 20 a few weeks back; I wrote on top of the old chapter to edit the crap out of it with how it needed to be now.). This will be deleted when the real Chapter 21 comes out.

Anyway, I apologize for the misunderstanding and confusion that some of you felt, and I hope this little note helps. If you're still lost/confused or have comments/questions, please feel free to contact me here through reviews or PMs or on the LoL discussion forum!

Sorry about that everyone! /awkward laugh

* * *

Secondary note: I am graduating from college in just a few short weeks. This story will be paused, as I have papers to write and finals to study for. Once again, I ask for your patience. Thank you so much, and I appreciate all that you put up with from me :)


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